


Desert Rose

by Borealisblue



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Bonding, First Kiss, M/M, Mutual Pining, My artwork, Slow Build, Slow Burn, So much pining its practically a forest, Soul Bond, Spock never joined Starfleet but everything else is the same, T'hy'la, Vulcan, Vulcan Culture, Vulcan Kisses, Vulcan Mind Melds, soul mates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:36:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 24,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28787319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Borealisblue/pseuds/Borealisblue
Summary: The Captain of the USS Enterprise is sent to Vulcan on behalf of the federation to assist in the discovery of some ancient ruins. The ruins very existence may be a threat to the Vulcan society, and before he and his select team are able to seek them out they must study up on the old culture in the ancient libraries in the heart of ShiKahr city with the supervision of a professor from the Vulcan Science Academy, a Mr. Spock.
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock
Comments: 52
Kudos: 138





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Something had happened at that moment between them, something that was difficult to describe. His Katra seemed to recognize this man’s touch, though he was positive they had never met before.
> 
> The instant Mr. Kirk seemed to realize his mistake in touching him, he let go before Spock had a chance to further examine what was happening like the true scientist he was. Now Spock’s skin felt like it had somehow been burned, imprinted on, causing the hairs on his body to rise as if reaching back out for the lost touch. The sensation of an almost presence in his mind rapidly receded but it left behind a hollow feeling of unmet desire.
> 
> The desire for what, Spock could not exactly pinpoint.

**Prologue:**

Amanda Grayson gazed out over the glittering diplomatic party with an air of neutrality. Her eyes the epitome of calm and her relaxed features conveying nothing but complete contentment to the casual onlooker. Years of living among Vulcans had caused her mastery at concealing her true emotions, at least externally. Internally, however, she was still very much an emotional human, and very much a worried mother at the moment.

Tapping the crystal glass she held in her hand with her finely polished fingernail she reflected on the conversation she had held with her son over subspace communication earlier that evening.

Spock had always been brief, polite, and eloquent in his conversations with her, but this particular conversation had seemed...different. He was tenser than normal and when she asked how he was, Spock had said he was fine. 

_Fine?!_

Not _adequate._ Not _satisfactory._ Not even _sufficient._

But fine? The use of such brief and short vocabulary was not typical for Spock.

Something was wrong and she could feel it in her bones. She often wished she could feel Spock's familial Vulcan bond in her mind but she was not telepathically inclined like her husband or her son, so all she could only really rely on was her mother’s intuition.

Spock was not “fine.”

Everything in her body was screaming to her that something was off. It had to be, for him to slip into such a casual way of speaking around her. She wished that they were back on Vulcan so that she could go and sit with him in their garden, but instead they were two solar systems away on the planet Rottilion where this diplomatic party was being held.

Lost in her maternal worries she didn’t hear the approach of her husband who had trailed off to talk to someone she didn’t recognize. 

“My wife.” He greeted and she turned around to see Sarek standing behind her, his darkened gaze expectant. Like always, since the day they had first met, her pulse quickened and she could feel a flush settle on her skin. She had never quite figured out why she loved him so deeply, only that she did.

“Attend me.” He commanded dryly, holding out his fingers to her. She smiled gently and raised her fingers to meet his offered ones, and together he escorted her through the crowd of colorful uniforms and dresses with ease as many parted before them in quick respect for the Vulcan ambassador and his wife.

Still holding her crystal glass in one hand she thumbed the rim of her drink in an absent-minded manner, her troubled thoughts still on her son.

She glanced at her husband who stared straight ahead leading them somewhere off to the side of the room. Of course, she could not share her concerns with him. He never acknowledged his son’s human side, nor did he entertain her “humanistic projections”, or so he called them, on Spock. 

But her son was human, at least partly anyway thanks to her genetics, and being human wasn’t dirty. It was a gift. She just wished Spock or his father could see it that way.

Spock had always been a lonely child due to his half-human nature and many looked down upon him for his unfortunate disadvantage given to him at birth. All his life she had watched him struggle twice as hard to gain the proper respect among his colleagues and for a Vulcan, loneliness was no matter. 

Sarek constantly reminded her that Vulcans did not need or desire friends as humans did, however, she knew better. Her son did desire these things, she could tell whenever she caught his eyes following other Vulcans as they walked together in the streets, but he was given no such opportunity to do so.

And this she had a feeling that was the current problem. Her son was feeling lonely. Even if he didn’t know it himself, Spock needed a friend.

Clearing her tangled thoughts like remnant cobwebs, her husband brought her to a stop in front of a small group of Starfleet officials.

Sarek gave a slight bow to a tall dark man in the center of the gathering and introduced her. 

“Admiral Hughes, this is she who is my wife, Amanda Grayson.” He announced dropping his hand from their linked fingers.

The tall man looked down at her, flashing a charming smile “A pleasure madam to make your acquaintance! I’ve heard tales of the woman who chose to marry and live among Vulcans, and must admit I’m delighted to finally meet her.”

Amanda nodded courteously. This was not the first time someone had been so openly excited to meet her. You would have thought she tamed dragons for a living rather than being a simple wife to a Vulcan ambassador, but she supposed her status in life was much more than that. After all, she was the first human to marry a Vulcan and the first to have a half Vulcan son. Her place in the history books was marked, but she never felt that it was impressive by any means.

“I was just speaking with your husband about a collaborative assignment between Vulcan and Starfleet.” Hughes continued unaware of her thoughts.

“Oh? Do tell.” She raised her eyebrows in polite interest.

“Yes, it seems your madam minster T’pau has directly requested it. She lists your son as a suggested participant in the assignment team.”

Amanda blinked. “Spock?”

She looked to Sarek for confirmation.

Sarek nodded sharply, “Indeed, I too was just informed of this. He will be called upon later this week to assist the assignment team on Vulcan due to his Archival research skills.”

Amanda studied her husband carefully, if she didn't know any better she would think he was proud of their son despite his distaste for Starfleet; he seemed pleased that Spock was being selected by their clan's matriarch and minister T’pau.

“And what exactly is the assignment?” She asked openly with a soft smile. This could be it! Fate was on her side, if Spock could perhaps become friends with someone on the assignment team then he could be a bit more...content in his life. 

Was it so wrong of her to want to see her son happy?

He needed friends despite his and her husband’s protests.

Admiral Hughes waved his hand nonchalantly in the air “Oh the assignment is quite hush, hush. I'm not even really privileged to the details, but these two from the Starship Enterprise are being requested as part of the assignment team as well.” He half-turned and motioned two people forward who both took notice of the summons and broke away from the others they were talking to. 

Both officers were dressed in red formal wear, one was a dark woman with piercing black eyes and an intelligent smile, the other was a man who gave a lopsided sided grin that paired well with his jolly gate as he strode towards them.

“This is Lieutenant Uhura, who is the communications officer and Chief Engineer, Montgomery Scott,” Hughes said proudly. “The tops in their fields.”

It was then that Amanda noticed Hughes was reading from a PADD he had kept hidden under his arm until now. He quickly read down what must have been the assignment roster and then tucked the PADD back under his arm.

She turned her attention back to the two Starfleet officers that could potentially be Spock's new friends. 

“It’s lovely to meet you two.” She greeted, extending her hand.

“O’ right honor it is for us.” The man named Mr. Scott said a little too loudly, taking her hand and patting the top in a friendly manner. “I cannae wait to serve my mission on Vulcan, I’ve never been planetside. Must be fascinating in the city! Though I suppose Vulcan doesn’t have a nightlife or many bars.” He laughed his eyes turning to watery crescents in his pinkened face.

“No, the alcohol you are used to drinking is not found on Vulcan. However, there is Vulcan brandy produced by the Vulcans, which is often brought out at particular events. It’s very intoxicating to alien races, but the Vulcans claim it is merely to clear their minds and palettes.”

The man looked at her like she was explaining how the stars were formed, fascinated, and a bit in awe.

“Now tha’ sounds amazin’-“ and before he could say any more he was slightly pushed out of the way by the other woman at his side who seemed concerned that he might be making a fool of himself.

“Hi, I’m Nyota Uhura ma’am, it’s a pleasure.” 

Amanda smiled, taking the young woman’s slim hand in her own. Her dark skin and sharp blackened polished nails were a startling contrast against her pale and slightly wrinkled palms, but the woman’s grip was warm, dry, and very welcoming.

“And what about you miss Uhura, are you looking forward to spending time on Vulcan like Mr. Scott here?”

Uhura flashed a blindingly white smile. “Oh yes, ma’am. I have adored the Vulcan culture for as long as I can remember. I wrote three dissertations on the languages themselves and have studied every cultural, social, biological, and environmental aspect of their life in the past and the present. Well, at least what they’ve allowed me to study that is, I’m sure you of all people realize how tight-lipped they can be to outsiders. I’ve been to Vulcan a few times before but, never for an assignment. I’m hoping that this opportunity will allow me to further my career path in Starfleet.”

Amanda nodded. “Goodness. You already seem quite accomplished, what more could there be?”

Uhura tilted her head back with a laugh, “Oh several more! I seem to want to dip my toes into everything! I’ve hit a few roadblocks in the past trying to cross-pollinate my areas of study, but thanks to my Captain I was able to gain access to everything I needed. He’s such an encouragement and always willing to step up and vouch for me when needed.”

“Aye,” Mr. Scott chimed in. “He’s an honorable man, the best in the service. He’s always looking out for his crew, no matter what they need. There have been a few Edosian females who wanted to pursue engineering in Starfleet, but due to their culture, they weren’t permitted. Captain Kirk made an argument for their case, an’ won. Now I have two of the best Edosian welders in my department, an’ it’s all thanks to him.”

Uhura nodded vigorously in agreement, her teardrop pearl earrings emphasizing the movement. “Captain Kirk is a friend to all.”

Amanda’s ears seemed to perk up at that.

_A friend to all?_

Perhaps even a Vulcan?

“This Captain Kirk of yours seems wonderful if you two are singing such high praises of him. Will he be accompanying you on your assignment?”

The two officers looked at each other, but it was Uhura who answered her. “We don’t know. We don’t have a lot of information at the moment about what this assignment is, but I’m sure once we reach Vulcan it will become much clearer.”

Mr. Scott tapped the side of his chin. “The Captain has a ship to run so most likely he won’t be involved. If we have a supervisor on this assignment it may be your son since he’s the Vulcan.”

Amanda inclined her head, “I see. Well in any case, please treat my son well.” 

“Of course!” Uhura assured her.

“We’ll treat your lad right, you have my word,” Scott said, patting his chest as if making a solemn promise.

“Excuse me,” she heard from her side and turned to see Sarek standing there waiting for her to finish talking. “It has been a rather long day for my wife.” He announced to the group. “We will be taking our leave now. Tomorrow we have a long Journey to another conference on Khas Yanna IV”

He took her now empty crystal glass and set it aside on a nearby table. Then holding out his fingers to Amanda, he patiently waited for her to comply.

“Of course Ambassador.” Admiral Hughes said respectfully. “Until we meet again.”

Sarek nodded and with Amanda by his side he led them from the party room.

They glided through the overly ornate doors into the large hallway that directed them back to their suite for the night.

Amanda’s thoughts turned over in her mind as thought of her son Spock serving with Starfleet. She was excited on his behalf and tried to picture him becoming friends with the two officers she had just met. 

It was a bit difficult. 

Spock would of course tolerate them, as he did with her and her many human failings, but she could not see him becoming fast friends with them. Mr. Scott appeared to be a bit of a free spirit and enjoyed more than a few drinks. Of course, was nothing wrong with that, but she couldn’t see Spock enjoying such company. Though she had been touched at his response to treat her son right.

Then there was the woman Uhura. Smart, intelligent, and well-versed in Vulcan culture. She would fare better at the prospect of becoming Spock's friend, but perhaps they were a bit too similar. Constantly in the pursuit of knowledge and prestige in their careers. Would they even stop to enjoy each other’s company, or would they simply be engrossed in their independent studies to take notice of each other?

_A friend to all._

Miss Uhura’s words echoed in her mind and she pursed her lips in thought.

For some reason, their Captain stood out in her mind. She had not seen, nor met him and yet, but he seemed like the perfect fit. 

Call it mother’s intuition but this Captain Kirk sounded fair and just, and unbiased in his behavior which was exactly what Spock needed. 

_A friend to all._

This Captain would not care for her son's half-human nature, and perhaps that attitude would rub off on others including Spock.

The only problem was, he wouldn’t be serving with her son.

She wasn’t quite sure what compelled her to do so, but she discreetly removed one of her earrings and slipped it into her pocket.

Then turning to her husband she innocently exclaimed her false distress, “Oh! Sarek wait! One of my earrings is missing. I must have dropped it somewhere back at the party.”

Sarek paused and looked at her bare ear. “I will buy you another pair.”

“No, I love this pair. You gave them to me when you first courted me.” 

Sarek gave her a look she recognized all too well. His face remained impassive as stone, yet his eyes betrayed his illogical adoration for her. “Very well.” He sighed and began to walk them back to the party.

“No Sarek it’s alright.” She said stepping in front of him, “I can see that this evening has worn you out. I’ll go. It will only be a few minutes. You head back to our suite and I'll be along shortly.”

Sarek studied her and then nodded. “Do not take too long.” He then turned and headed back up the hall towards their rooms.

She watched him leave and then pivoted quickly on her heel and made her way back to the party.

Entertaining the still crowded room she searched for Admiral Hughes' tall figure among the sea of people. 

She spotted him still in the corner they had previously been in and strode forward with one goal in mind.

Nobody paid her any attention without the ambassador on her arm and so she was almost invisible among the glittering decadence of people. Not exactly sure how, or what she was going to do precisely she made her way behind the tall Admiral who hadn’t noticed her approach.

She debated on tapping his shoulder to get his attention, but what would she exactly say? Admiral Hughes my son is lonely and I demand you assign Captain Kirk to this secret assignment so they can become friends.

No, that wouldn’t do at all. She would risk not only embarrassing her son, but also Sarek.

It was then she spotted the Admirals PADD placed on the table next to him and she recognized it immediately. The assignment roster! It was right behind his hand but if she acted quickly enough she could grab it without notice and add Kirk’s name to the project file.

This was the most brazen meddling she had ever done in her life, but fate happened to be on her side. One of the dignitaries at that moment called for everyone’s attention so that he could make a toast.

While everyone was distracted she swiped the PADD and opened up the screen without much resistance. The Starfleet roster was a bit difficult to interpret, but she quickly found the original Vulcan script from T’pau herself at the top. She spotted the names of who the matriarch thought best to be assigned to this mission, and added Captain Kirk’s name at the top of the list. Nobody would question it if it was in the original Vulcan script.

A window popped up and asked what Kirk would be doing for the mission and she frowned. She didn’t know if he had any main expertise in any subject, but maybe he could be an assistant. That way he would be forced to work closely with Spock. 

She typed in an assistant to the supervisor and closed the PADD just in time for the toast to end and everyone raised their glasses. Hughes stepped back unaware that she was behind him and ran right into her as he finished off the drink in his hand. Startled, he turned to look down at her.

“Pardon me madam Grayson, I did not see you there! I thought you had left with your husband.” 

He spotted his PADD in her hands, but before he had a chance to say anything she handed it over. 

Years on Vulcan, not only gave her skills of facial control but also, excellent acting skills. “Oh I did leave with my husband but I came back looking for my earring which fell under the table earlier.” She artfully produced the earring from her pocket without notice to show the Admiral. “While I was under the table I noticed you had dropped your PADD. I hope it’s not broken, I fear I have a tendency to drop my own at home.”

Hughes raised his brows in alarm and quickly examined the PADD front and back for damage. When he saw a none he tucked it back under his arm. “Thank you for retrieving it,” he said embarrassed. “I do have a problem leaving it about in places, so I’m not surprised it fell under the table, perhaps it’s my time to retire for the evening as well.” He gave a good-natured chuckle.

Amanda nodded gracefully and they parted ways.

Being almost caught had her heart hammering in her chest and she tried to even her breathing as she walked back to her suite in an unhurried manner. The reality of what she had just done sunk in and she chewed her lip wondering if she had been the right thing. She knew with absolute certainty that the Admiral had believed her story and now she just hoped that no one else would question the addition of Captain Kirk’s name to the roster, and see it as a simple oversight. 

Maybe nothing would come if this. 

Maybe Kirk and her son would work together admirably and no friendship would bloom, but she could have hope, couldn’t she?

Spock didn’t deserve to be alone. No one does.


	2. Chapter 2

Spock enjoyed mornings more than any other time of day. The sun had only been up a short time, but he was already hard at work. He awoke an hour before the light of day crested the horizon line and completed his meditation routine before breaking his fast with tulmarsn flatbread and red unruk tea. 

Afterward, he tended to his flourishing garden of various plants that grew in his mother’s greenhouse. She had long since given up taking care of the flora, due to her “aging knees” and “arthritic hands” and had gifted it to him.

Spock had his suspicions about his mother's true intent in turning the garden over, for she never showed any of the signs for aging she claimed to have suffered from. He believed her objective in giving him the garden was that it would give him something to do. “Plants are friends,” she had told him once. “They listen when you speak.”

Illogical. Plants could not be “friends” and they certainly could not interpret cognitive speech patterns.

An absolute absurdity.

Spock did not need friends; especially plants. It was not the Vulcan way. Vulcans had colleagues, but the concept of “friends'' simply did not exist. There may have been a time in Vulcan's war-torn past where such a concept was a necessity for existence but they had evolved past that point.

His mother just did not understand that. No matter how many attempts he tried to dissuade her, she constantly claimed that he was lonely.

Even their conversation last night over subspace communication had been tedious.

While yes it was true that his mother had somehow picked up on his irritants about a rather unfavorable disagreement with a fellow professor at the Vulcan Science Academy earlier that day, it was nothing his meditation could not sort out. He just had not had the time to do so before she had contacted him.

Spock let out a barely audible sigh as he dutifully walked to the large biodome greenhouse located in his home's backyard. 

Sticking out like an oasis, among the red and orange desert rock landscaping that cultivated the property, he keyed in the security code for entry and was greeted with a wave of humidity as the sealed doors swished open and he walked into the varying green foliage.

It was an environment that had initially been created for his mother so that she could sit among the planets on a little white stone bench in the center to enjoy herself, but after he took charge he had made many modifications so that the biodome would be self-sustainable. The glass ceiling had a unique teardrop profile, which directed condensation back onto the foliage to mimic a natural water cycle. The walls of the biodome were also stepped in a way so that the raised plant beds could each showcase a miniature collection of living greenery, from lush moss to tropical exotic foliage. 

Even though it had stemmed from a mother’s concern for her child. He cared deeply for everything that grew by his own hands and had an especially soft spot for his mother’s rose bushes she had brought with her from her homeworld.

While completely invasive on Vulcan soil, Spock was entranced by their delicate petals and fragrant smell. 

Red as Vulcan's rising sun, the roses stood out among his plants, holding a certain type of alien beauty in contrast to the other greenery around them, and while they had thorns that made them hard to care for, they were Spock's favorite flora to tend to. Several bushes encircling the stone bench in the center of the dome, each morning Spock was greeted with a sparkling display of condensation which appeared to cling to the serrated leaves and petals in particular.

Spock slowly walked among the red blooms and customarily bent down to enjoy their smell before continuing to some of V’lock plants that needed attention. The purple plants were due for some desperate pruning because they grew rather quickly, and he wished to transfer some cuttings to larger pots before noon. That way he would be able to review his lesson plan for his class that evening before he broke for lunch. 

He worked in silence as the creeping sunbeams filtered through the greenhouse glass walls, dappling multiple different species with light. It was quiet, the soft tone of sniping sheers and grainy dirt were the only sounds that filled the greenhouse. It was peaceful. 

His family’s residence was far from the city noise, stationed on top of a hill just on the outskirts of a T’tinith.

He could have petitioned the capital for the right to own a personal home or apartment in the center of Shikhar next to the Academy, but he was unmated and unbonded, therefore he had no logical point in living alone. True he was an adult, but still quite young by Vulcan standards. He was only 34, and to a race that’s life span averaged 200 years, he was still just starting out. 

He had made the decision early on in his life to stay in the family home logically of course, why take up space if you are to live by yourself? Not to mention when his time of Pon Farr came he wished to pass within familiar walls. 

That was if his Pon Farr ever came. He had yet to experience the mating frenzy, drove on by the boiling blood fever, and the healers blamed his human half. Perhaps he would never go through it, it was certainly possible.

If he did indeed go his entire life without experiencing his Pon Farr, that would be most agreeable to him, but since it was still a variable he lived at home with his mother and father.

Today however his parents were gone on a diplomatic mission, and they would be for the next three months. 

Spock was indifferent to their absence. He had long stopped inquiring after their affairs having his own life to live. He hardly ever spoke to his father when they passed in the same halls, so interstellar communication never happened between them, but his mother had the habit of calling him every once and a while when they were away, “keeping him in the loop” she would say. She would do this whenever she and his father, who worked for the Vulcan High Council, went off on such diplomatic missions. She still wanted to share even the smallest details of her day with him. Whether that meant talking about the weather of their current planet or describing a recent meal she had eaten at a state dinner. Spock often had no use for such information but he indulged his mother in listening, just as his father did.

Why they had chosen to be bonded mates was still a mystery to Spock. Vulcans did not appreciate humans. They did everything in their power to distance themselves from such illogical beings. Indeed his mother was the only human who truly was allowed to live permanently on Vulcan for many years, due to her special circumstances of being mated to his father, who had a considerable pull in the government.

But recently there had been an influx of humans who were slowly but surely trying to integrate with their planet, petitioning the Vulcan government for permanent residency status rather than just the provisional student residency that was currently in place.

These types of things kept Spock’s mind occupied while he gardened. If the planet became abundant with humans, would they intermingle with Vulcans? His mother was a rare case indeed, but if they did, would there be other half-breeds like himself in the future? It had taken advanced science to help with his birth, but since science was always progressing it would be a likely outcome. It might not happen in his lifetime but it would be logical if humans did find themselves among his people, some were bound to be mated. After all, when a Vulcan finds a true bondmate, it’s for life.

While Vulcan families practiced arranged bondings, a handful still felt the pull of another and that’s why the fighting rituals of kunat kal-if-fee on the planet were still in practice.

It was an evolutionary throwback to more primal times and the excitement and adrenaline of a fight, lead to the death of one of the suitors.

Spock thought the process barbaric, even when he considered the logic of keeping the practice around. Why fight? It was true that most matches would be incompatible, but what did it matter? A bondmate was a bondmate. Right? 

His mother often spoke of her love for his father and yet he had never heard Sarek admit any such feelings for his mother.

He supposed it was the emotion “love” that could make Vulcans fight for a different mate, although Spock could never see himself fighting for someone he “loved.”

The blood fever that was brought on by Pon Farr did strange things to a Vulcan and made them lose control. It was certainly plausible that when they went mad with the need to mate, the emotion of love could rise to the surface. 

Spock shook his head. To lose control like that because of a mating dive was repugnant. Spock could not see it happening to him.

Even at a young age, Spock could not picture himself bonded to any other Vulcan. It’s not that he did not want to be, he very much wanted to be bonded, but it just never seemed right.

He straightened his back after moving the last V’lock cutting to its new home and happened to glance out the window. To his surprise T’gal, the headmistress of the Vulcan Science Academy was walking up to his greenhouse. Dressed in deep violet, her robe and black shawl gave her pale complexion a sharpened tint. Her hair was braided tightly in a high bun and her razor straight bangs hid her graying eyebrows.

Tilting his head in curiosity Spock rinsed his hands in a nearby basin and walked from the greenhouse to greet her. No one ever visited the house of Sarek unless it was extremely important. 

“S'chn T'gai Spock,” She greeted, raising her hand in a ta’al.

Spock returned her greeting. “Headmistress T’gal, may I inquire of your presence at the house of Sarek?”

“I need to speak on a matter of great importance.”

“If you were here seeking Ambassador Sarek, he is not home at this time, he is on route Khas Yanna IV for a diplomatic mission.”

“I am well aware. I am here to speak to you.”

Spock straightened himself and placed his hands behind his back. Her presence here would be logical after the disagreement he had yesterday with his colleague. “If this is pertaining to my raised objections against Professor Stonn’s conduct-”

She held up her hand and cut him off. “I am not here because of a quarrel. I am here to inform you of a decision made on behalf of the Vulcan High Council and Minister T’pau.”

Spock hid his confusion and nodded. Keeping his face impassive, he gestured for her to follow him back into the main house. 

They walked in silence, their footsteps echoing obscenely loud on the gravel until they reached the open patio that led them into a lounging area that had seats. 

He offered her tea but she declined and remained standing.

“S'chn T'gai Spock, Minister T’pau, your clan's matriarch has assigned you to a mission of great importance. What I am about to share with you is extremely classified and you will be expected to not share it with anyone outside of this mission, neither under duress nor of your own free will. This includes your closest kin, the ambassador Sarek and his wife Amanda.”

Spock again nodded, confused even more.

“Your mission will be to help and oversee a select team of Starfleet officers discover The of Temple T'tel.”

Several inquiries arose in his mind, but he only voiced one, “The Temple of Bonds? Is that not just a legend?”

T’gal took a few short steps and gazed out the back window, appearing to stare at something only she could see. “We at the Science Academy have always believed the Temple of T’tel to be nothing more than a myth, however, Minister T’pau has recently uncovered a scroll that suggests otherwise. Your job along with the Starfleet officers is to uncover the truth.”

Contemplative silence floated between the two of them.

“If I may ask, why are we recruiting outsiders to help in a Vulcan matter. Surely Vulcan scientists are more qualified since they would understand the gravity of the situation.”

T’gal inhaled a deep breath and turned back to him. “If the Temple is indeed real we must be very careful in how we introduce it to the public. If not done properly it will cause unrest. By inviting Starfleet here, not only are we minimizing those who know about it, but we are also making use of some of their Technology which we do not have access to. The Starfleet officers you will be working with will all be put under oath not to utter a word to anyone. Not even Starfleet headquarters will know the whole truth of their mission. They are only under the impression that their officers are involved in a fact-finding mission.”

Spock nodded. “Logical, but I still do not see why you have also recruited me. I am a professor in astrological physics, nothing more.”

T’gal raised a gray brow in question, completely hiding it under her bangs. “You devalue yourself, Spock son of Sarek. Are you not the winner of the Vulcain Scientific legion of honor? Are you not one of the many top scientists in the field of Archival research? Have you not done geophysical surveys with the academy in the past? What you teach now has nothing to do with your extensive knowledge and background. You will lead this mission. I have never known a Vulcan who has wanted to delve into the variety of sciences as you have.”

Spock calmly blinked. “I will not deny my past accomplishments. Indeed when listing all of them out, I do appear to be the most logical choice. However, you are well aware that most of the research I have done, has been rejected by other Vulcans because I am half-human.” 

Spock spoke truthfully, and she would be unable to deny it. Many of his published articles despite every evidence he put forth to prove their legitimacy was denied the acknowledgment and acclaim they deserved because his blood was not pure.

“It matters not what others say, your minister and your clan matriarch T’pau finds you the most logical choice, not only because of your scholarly achievements but also as someone who knows how to deal with humans.”

Ah. So that was it. Spock finally understood. Nobody wanted to work with humans.

“I have only dealt with my mother, who follows Vulcan practices.” He reminded her.

“You are half-human yourself, are you not?” She asked, her eyes becoming sharp and impatient.

“I am.”

“That is more than anyone else can claim. You can understand how they think, how they act, and so you are a better choice to direct them accordingly.

Spock remained quiet. He did not wish to dispute T'paus' logic, but it was thin at best. By saying he understood the illogical practices of humans was an insult to his Vulcan half. He was used to such prejudice by now, considering how he was belittled most of his life for it, but that did not appear to matter in this case

T’gal produced a small PADD from her long sleeves and held it out to him, but despite his carefulness, his fingers temporarily brushed against hers while receiving the item.

She recoiled in disgust like most Vulcans who came into contact with him accidentally did. Though her face was completely blank, void of any misgivings, their brief emotional transference with each other was shameful on his part. He tried his hardest to conceal his emotions like other Vulcans could, but no matter how diligent his efforts were they sat right under the surface of his skin. Anyone unfortunate enough to come in contact with him could feel his inability to control them.

T’gal carried on as if nothing had happened, and Spock was grateful for that.

“This PADD has all of the compiled information you will need, not only on the discovery of the scroll but on your human crew being sent from Starfleet as well. You are to meet them tomorrow in front of the main library of ShiKhar. I am sure you are familiar with it based on the hours you have logged down in the archival suite. They will be beamed down from their ship and will be expecting a briefing from you when they arrive. Have them sign the oath forms before you begin. You will have access to anything you request or require to find the temple. Any questions?”

“I will do what is asked of me, but what of my classes at the academy? We are right in the middle of the lesson plan. I have a class this evening.”

“I will have professor Stonn take over for you until this mission is completed. This matter will be your top priority from now on.” She began to move towards the door they had entered through, and paused, “I do not condone professor Stonn's actions against you yesterday, but your quarrel is a trivial matter. Once you are done with this assignment you may take up teaching your classes again.” She raised her hand in a parting ta’al, and then she was gone before he could return the gesture.

Spock felt like he needed a good cup of tea to soothe him. He walked towards the main kitchen he used in the house while turning the small PADD over and over again in his hand. 

The news that the Temple of T’tel could be real was a serious claim, and one he should be honored to be taking part in, and yet...it could devastate Vulcan culture as he knew it. Many beliefs about bonds would come into question and that was what held their society together.

Placing the PADD he had been given on the table nearest the window he began to boil fresh water for his tea in a small cracked pot while gathering his thoughts.

He supposed his plans had been changed for him. Instead of getting ready for his lecture, he would be putting together a presentation for the humans. Where should he begin?

As he waited for the water to heat he sat down and leaned back in his chair, his hands forming a steeple over his mouth as he studied the little PADD on the table. He supposed he should review his team members first to see if any of them might already have extensive knowledge of Vulcan culture, that way he could save time and they could get right to work.

He picked it up and opened the files for review.

The first folder was the one he sought, which held the names of his team members and their specialties.

Montgomery Scott. He was the head engineer on the USS Enterprise. He would be in charge of cartography, remote sensing, photogrammetry, digital mapping, and other specialized equipment. His ID picture showed a jovial man who smiled widely at the photo being taken. His hair was combed to the side in a simple swish and his reddened cheeks appeared prominent due to his red uniform.

Spock nodded making a mental note of his accomplishments and specialized technology that could be used and help to locate the temple's whereabouts, and then he moved onto the next file.

Nyota Uhura. Communications officer for the USS Enterprise. Her Vulcan knowledge and background were extensive. She was well accomplished and had several dissertations published about archaic Vulcan languages and had studied on Vulcan three times. Spock studied her ID picture as well. She had a soft smile, her full lips not quite exposing her blindingly white teeth the shone in great contrast with her dark skin. Her hair was done in a style he had never seen before and her makeup sharpened her facial features. Her knowledge would make his job easier if the other humans had questions on Vulcan culture, she would be able to interpret for them.

Spock moved onto the last file. 

James T. Kirk. Captain of the USS Enterprise.

A Captain? Why would a starship captain be involved?

Spock studied his file picture. It was a standard ID photo like the other two, but something was…different about this man.

The man looked serious, his gaze staring straight at the camera in an air of utmost professionalism. His dirty blond hair was combed neatly back and his lips were set in a firm line. He wore a green uniform shirt that was decorated with the badges of his Starfleet Captaincy and his arms were folded in a closed-off manner. 

Spock read through commendations after commendations, and it seemed his life was being constantly rewarded for heroics and risk-taking. Not to mention leadership in the face of danger.

But what was to be his job?

Spock read the assignment. And then read it again.

The man was to be his assistant?

A Starship Captain for an assistant?

Spock pursed his lips. 

Surely this was some sort of mistake...unless T’pau did not fully trust Spock to lead this team and she wanted a real leader to oversee his mission

Or maybe he was sent to somehow spy on him...but what purpose did that serve? Spock was unimportant as they came. It would make sense if his father was still here, but the ambassador was off-planet so that could not be the reason.

Spock’s musings were interrupted as the sound of his tea being ready beeped from the kitchen. He placed the PADD down and went to retrieve his drink.

The hot liquid felt good running down his throat and it caused him to pause and wander over to a nearby window.

If T’pau assigned him, there had to have been a logical reason. Perhaps he had some hidden knowledge that was not located on the file given to him.

He did not need an assistant and he was not sure what to do with the Captain. He would work more proficiently alone as he had always done in the past. The human would just get in the way.

He sipped his tea gracefully as thoughts raced through his mind.


	3. Chapter 3

“ _An assistant?!_ ” Jim cried, “Please tell me this is some kind of joke!”

He paced back and forth in his quarters, his temperament on very thin ice with the Admiral on his viewing screen. 

“I’m sorry Kirk for the late notice but I overlooked it in the initial paperwork and I’ll take full responsibility. My wife says I’m overworked and I’m starting to think she’s right, I don’t even remember seeing your name when I first went over the assignment roster.”

“Admiral Hughes I’m not an assistant. I’m a Starship Captain, an explorer! A militant strategist at times, or diplomat when called upon, but I’m nobody’s errand boy.” 

“You will be for this mission. You will do whatever is asked of you. Kirk, you know how important minister T’pau is to the Federation, we can’t turn down her request. She’s very powerful with her political pull and the only reason Vulcan still tolerates our organization.”

Jim sucked on his teeth irritated. “And who will be commanding the ship while I’m away on this mission? Scotty’s on assignment with me and my first in command is on his honeymoon in the Telarex system.”

“Telarex system? Hmm. My wife has been wanting to take a trip there, she heard one of the planets has a pink sea.” Hughes commented absentmindedly as he scratched his chin in thought.

Jim gave him a dark look, “That’s not the point Hughes. My ship, who’s gonna be in charge of my ship?!”

Hughes refocused his attention back on Jim. “As for your ship I’ve asked Captain Green to step in for you until this assignment is resolved, he will be arriving shortly by shuttlecraft.”

Jim stopped pacing long enough to rub his forehead. He sensed the prelude to a headache coming on.“And how long will that be? Captain Green is a fine man but he’s a little too trigger happy for my liking. He’ll treat my ship like a battlecruiser.” 

He resumed pacing in his agitated manner, feeling trapped by this assignment.

Admiral Hughes laughed “Afraid he’ll blow up the Enterprise? You worry too much. Look he’s not going anywhere. He will keep the ship in orbit around Vulcan for you and your crew in case you need access to the equipment on board, and you can beam up in the evenings to rest in your cabins.”

Jim huffed as he spun, slamming his hands down on his Captain’s desk.

“And what exactly is this assignment again?” He asked, forcing his tone to remain neutral despite his desire to shut the screen off, ridding him of the Admiral’s image.

“I’ve only told you what I know. You beam down with Mr. Scott and Miss Uhura and help professor Spock on a fact-finding mission. It’s all in the debriefing I sent you.”

Jim scoffed. “Some debriefing! There was barely anything in those documents! Don’t you find this whole situation at least a little bit suspicious? Why all the secrecy?”

Admiral Hughes shook his head. “You know as well as I, that Vulcans are very secretive about their society. Not many Starfleet officers have been allowed to do missions like this. You should be honored! Just do your duty and represent the federation in a golden light. This is a minor mission Kirk for heaven’s sake, it’s not like it’s going to be life-changing.”

Jim nodded, still irritated by the whole situation, but he straightened himself with a professional air, the true rank of his command settling into place onto his frame. But he couldn’t resist one final quip, “Keep in mind Hughes, I’m going to make one hell of a lousy assistant.”

“Noted.” Admiral Hughes chuckled before ending the call.

Jim suddenly felt tired. He plopped himself down into his desk chair and stared at his reflection in the blank screen before him. 

He had always had problems with authority, ironic since he was a link in a long chain of command, but he was at the top and he only had to answer to the best. Now, however, he suddenly felt like he had been pushed down a ladder from the top rung to the very last step. Like his years of service to reach the rank of captain meant absolutely nothing to anyone.

“An assistant?” Jim muttered to himself. He sighed and leaned forward, maybe he was being overly dramatic.

He pressed the button on his computer console that brought up the mission files and the professor's picture. He reread the debrief, which was only a few sentences, and rolled his eyes. He was supposed to beam down to Vulcan in a few hours which would be morning on the planet's surface and meet this professor, Spock.

Jim looked at the picture attached to the file so he would know who he was meeting and paused...something was...different about this Vulcan. He hadn’t studied the photo before having been immediately distracted by his assignment title, but this Vulcan… he almost seemed familiar in a way

“Computer, has this Professor Spock ever served with Starfleet before?”

 **“Negative.”** The computer chirped.

Jim’s brow furrowed, and he studied the face on his screen. 

The professor had a long face, angular in a charming way, his thin lips dipping into a perfect cupid’s bow. His ears, like all Vulcans, were pointed and curled at the tips, an impish feature that had Jim recalling the fae images in his youth. Perhaps that was what felt familiar to him. Fairy’s, elves, even the depictions of the devil all had this feature, though he saw no horns sticking out of his customary bowl cut, a popular style supported by the Vulcans.

No, he didn’t seem like a devil though his long, proud nose that led up to his sharp eyebrows would convince someone else otherwise.

Jim stared at the picture for a lot while and that’s when something clicked. It was his eyes. Something about those deep brown eyes pulled him in and held him there. Dare he say it, they were almost _human_. 

Jim could almost swear he saw thinly veiled emotion coming from under the man’s long black lashes, and suddenly he could imagine the Vulcan looking away, hiding the fact that he was somehow different.

Jim felt himself soften at the thought. 

There was something about this Vulcan that invoked something tender in him and suddenly his resistance to being an assistant wavered slightly. 

Serving alongside this man… it might not be that bad.

His computer beeped on his panel, snapping him out of whatever reprieve he had found himself in and he heard Lieutenant Uhura's soft voice fill the air. “Captain Kirk, Captain Kirk, this is the bridge.”

He clicked the answering button. “Yes, lieutenant this is Kirk,”

“A shuttlecraft from space station 12, carrying captain Jonathan Green is requesting permission to dock, sir.”

Suddenly Jim was once again on edge. Green. “Very good Lieutenant, permission granted, Kirk out.”

Jim hated the idea of Green being in charge of his ship, mostly because this was HIS ship, and the fact the Green had a history of destroying his ships in battle, did not bode well to him. 

He went and greeted Green in the shuttle bay, welcoming him as kindly as he could afford, and placed him temporarily in command of his ship. He had tried to do it quickly, like ripping a bandaid off all at once so he could focus on his upcoming mission. 

With the Enterprise command turned over to Green, Jim then returned to his cabin and waited for their arrival to the planet Vulcan. 

He should have been resting but his mood kept switching between feeling belittled by the assignment and then a warm sort of surrender when he thought of the Vulcan he would be assisting.

His thoughts were messy with suspicion at who he might have offended to get assigned to such a low position on a mission, but this assignment came from the minister T’pau herself, and he had certainly never met her before. He had never even been to Vulcan and so he could not fathom how he had been called to his assignment.

Nevertheless, when the time finally came for Jim to beam down, he made sure his hair was perfectly combed and his uniform clean and presentable wanting to make a good first impression as a representation of the federation.

His mood only improved when he entered the transporter room and saw Lieutenant Uhura twirling about in excitement, with Mr. Scott and Dr. McCoy watching from the corner.

She of course stopped when she spotted him, but he just smiled at her antics, “At least someone is excited.” He commented dryly coming up to them, eyeing the doctor in particular. “Bones what are you doing here?”

The ship's surgeon leaned against the beaming panel in a lax manner, his arms and ankles crossed like a lazy farmer cooling in the shade of a barn. 

“I’ve got a nice little shot waiting for you and your team. It's a tri-ox compound. It'll help you breathe easier on Vulcan. The air is very thin for humans and they say the ground gets as hot as a skillet in July. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids while you're down there.” He dug into a bag slung over his shoulder and pulled out a hypospray. “You wanna go first?” He asked innocently with a raise of his brows.

Jim narrowed his eyes in mock irritation and stepped forward rolling up his sleeve.

His friend playfully smiled at him, but Jim still felt the small pinch, and hissing release of the hypospray anyway. He winced before Bones pulled away and rolled back down his sleeve with a rubbing motion. “We’re going to have to do this every day aren't we?” he muttered in dismay, stepping aside for Scotty, who happened to be standing behind him.

“Oh but it’s worth it sir.” Uhura patted his arm, “You’ll grow to love Vulcan, it has many hidden surprises. It can be quite enchanting.” She gushed with a dreamy look in her eyes.

With Scotty’s shot done, Uhura stepped forward offering her bare arm to the doctor.

Jim couldn’t help but be affected by her excitement and he shook his head fondly, “If you say so Lieutenant,” and took his place on the transporter pad.

“Now be careful!” Bones chided as Uhura and Scotty joined him at his sides.

Jim repressed the urge to roll his eyes. “Sound medical advice doctor. Energize. ” And the transporter room disappeared.

_Damn, it’s hot,_ was the first thing Jim thought as he materialized on the planet's surface. It was like he had beamed down into an oven and despite the temperature controls of their Starfleet uniforms, he could still feel the burning heat from the sunrise press upon his neck. He began to sweat.

They had beamed down in front of what appeared to be a huge monolithic building nestled in between newer and taller towering structures that jutted proudly into the sky. The architecture was rounded artfully at the tops and gleamed with prestige in the morning sun.

It was overwhelming, to say the least, but also... quiet. Very quiet. It was curious to Jim, he had been in several different cities across several different planets and yet this one was hushed in a way that only made sense on Vulcan.

It wasn’t completely silent, however, obviously, that would be impossible, he could hear the soft sounds of the city’s inner workings around them, the hum of vehicles, the sounds of machinery at work, even the buzz of respectful conversation, but it all seemed discreet. 

“Greetings,” he heard from his side, and he turned to see a Vulcan standing a few feet away with his hand held up in the customary Ta’al. “I am Spock.”

Jim straightened himself respectfully and returned the greeting with his own Ta’al. “Hello, you must be the professor. This is Lieutenant Nyota Uhura and chief engineer Montgomery Scott.” He motioned to them as they nodded in turn with their own Ta’al’s raised high. “And I’m Jim Kirk.”

The professor nodded in acknowledgment to each of them and Jim got the impression that they were quickly being evaluated somehow. That was ok because it gave him just enough time to study the Vulcan in turn. He was fair and refined, with a dignified appearance just like his photograph on file. His complexion contrasted greatly with the black robes he wore, which had silver Vulcan script embossed in the fabric down the front. The external robe squared around his neck, revealing a deeper purple fabric underneath suggesting even more layers than Jim was seeing and he briefly wondered how the Vulcan was not melting on the sidewalk dressed like that. 

“Follow me please.” The professor said, regaining his attention, and then turned and walked away.

Glancing at each other, Jim and his crew quickly followed the professor who led them into the large building they had beamed in front of. The entrance was wide, the lobby appearing to be made up of some type of orange and red granite, with ribbons of red veins streaking across the floor. It was beautiful in a way and didn’t seem to clash with the modern technology that lined the walls. Jim had hoped that cold air conditioning would greet them once they were in the building, but it was only slightly cooler than outside. Tolerable, but not ideal.

The Vulcan led them through a large archway that revealed an even larger room that was long and rectangular in shape with double colonnades that were carved to look like Vulcans at study. There were three levels on each side that arched high into the ceiling carved from the same stone in the entryway. 

It was awe-inspiring, but it was still just a library. 

The atmosphere was similar to the one at Starfleet academy. A very peaceful place to study. One could forget the world around them and get lost in whatever was in front of them for a few hours whether that was schoolwork, extracurricular studying, or reading for leisure. Jim had loved the Starfleet library while a student and though this wasn’t exactly like that library, he was happy to be in one all the same.

Jim wanted to stop and take it all in but the professor continued without pause, and they followed him into a lift which then proceeded to head downward.

Jim couldn’t help but steal a glance at the Vulcan from his peripheral’s and noted just how handsome he was up close. He was a few inches taller than Jim and he smelled of some sort of cologne reminiscent of an earthy, woodsy odor, with a kick of some type of subdued spice. It was alluring, filling up the small space and it almost had a relaxing effect on him.

When the lift opened Jim was disappointed because the lovely scent wafted away with the introduction of newer air. Well, newer in a sense that the air smelled recycled and filtered like the Enterprise which probably meant they were deep underground.

The floor they had gone to had the lights dimmed drastically giving everything a soft blue and gray glow. It was extremely sterile and more modern looking from the top part they had gone through. It was very cool which was a welcome surprise to Jim, who had just resigned himself to working in the heat like the floors above them. They seemed to be the only ones on the floor but that did not stop the professor from leading them to one of the nearby rooms and then shutting and locking the door. He engaged some type of fogging effect on the windows and gestured for them to sit at a round table in the center, which held a pile of clothes and a stack of PADDs.

“I am sure you are all curious about this mission and I will endeavor to explain as much as I can, but first must have you sign an oath that what you learn today you may not share with others, break this oath and you will not be allowed back on Vulcan.” He handed out the PADDs and waited for them to sign. Jim frowned as he read through the oath, it was a basic standard oath of secrecy, one that he had seen several times before when Starfleet sent him on discrete missions, but he was unnerved that whatever they were doing required such a thing. He signed his name anyway and placed his PADD back on the table and waited.

The Vulcan waited until everyone had signed and then proceeded to pick up a remote of some kind and flick on a built-in view screen taking up the majority of the wall.

“Our mission is to investigate a recently discovered scroll that hints at the location of the Temple T'tel or “Temple of Bonds'' as it is translated into standard. This temple was previously thought to be only a legend, similar to your human’s cautionary tales, but if it is indeed real its existence may be a threat to Vulcan society.”

He clicked a button and an old illustration appeared on the screen. 

“The legend goes that a hundred years before my ancestors cultivated a logical society by the teachings of Surak, there was a Vulcan named Elder Saalk who advocated for peace during a time where clans slaughtered clans at the smallest grievance. War tore us apart and we were on the brink of destroying ourselves, but Saalk promised a way to help the clans to come together in harmony. The Elder claimed to have discovered a type of bond, stronger than any bond to have ever existed and built a temple that could help Vulcans identify who they shared this bond with. This bond was said to unlock special telepathic abilities between a mated pair and that together they were mentally more stable and able to lead their clans in a more organized and prosperous way. Thousands came to the temple seeking this bond but only two pairs proved to have had it. It was said that the pairs of Vulcans did not know of each other before stepping into the temple, but once they exited, they never parted again.”

He clicked to the next slide.

“The first pair was a man and woman named Sk’pav and Svai. Sk’pav was a prominent clan leader and Svai was a traveling mercenary, rumored to have been several years younger and quite beautiful. The second pair was a man and woman named Sto and Ku-li both hailing from the same clan. Sto was the son of a military leader and Ku-li was a daughter of a scribe.

Together the couples began to stabilize the clans within the region and for a time there was indeed peace. However, it would not last. Many craved to have such a unique bond such as the pair of Vulcans and Ku-li was murdered for it. She was killed by a jealous Vulcan who envied her bond with her mate and her death drove Sto to the brink of madness with his loss. Pained and unable to cope he laid waste to everything the clans had built together, and in the chaos, Sk’pav and Svai lost their lives trying to protect one another. It is said that with his remaining strength Svai begged Elder Saalk to destroy his temple so that no one else would suffer the same fate as him and his bondmate. The loss of his beloved mate was too great to bear and so died from the emotional pain it caused him. The story states that Saalk did not destroy the temple, but hid it instead because despite the damage the rare bond had caused he had hopes that a time would come where the bond would reappear again, to help those who needed it.”

The professor turned to stare at the wall behind them as if he couldn’t truly look them in their faces. 

“Bonds are very important to my race, and there is a vast variety, from familial to marital, and having them stabilizes us and helps us control our telepathy by keeping us connected to each other. It is somewhat similar to your Earth's mangrove trees. Such plants are known for their complex micro-ecologies created by their widespread root systems stretching out and propagating entire forests of new trees, but they remain constantly connected at the roots.”

Jim thought this a fascinating aspect. So they were all telepathically linked to each other? He wondered what that would be like. He couldn’t imagine sharing a mental space with anyone.

He watched the professor grow quiet, and it appeared that the Vulcan was struggling to get the next words out of his mouth.

“Overall a bond’s main purpose is never discussed. It is involved in a private ritual that we do not speak of, even amongst ourselves and especially never to outsiders. However as this matter concerns the Temple of Bonds and the bonding process itself, you must know everything.”

He took a deep breath in, straightening himself further before continuing.

“It is called the Pon Farr. The time of mating. Every seven years after a Vulcan has hit puberty it creates a vicious fever that can be felt in our blood. It strips our minds from us and brings a madness that rips away our veneer of civilization. My society which prides itself to run on complete logic shields it with ritual and customs shrouded in antiquity, but in plain terms, we must take a mate or die. After the teachings of Surak were put into place it was logical to have a predetermined mate for the process so that the fever drives us to them rather than the nearest person available. Bond matches are prepared for us when we are young so that the bond may grow between the two parties for several years, that way it will be easier for them to come together when it is their time to mate.”

Jim processed this information quietly. He had never heard of such a thing when it came to Vulcans. No wonder they kept it secret. He had a few questions on the tip of his tongue, but leave it to ol’ Scotty to have an outburst first.

“So ya have arranged marriages when you’re wee bairns? Wha’ happens if you’re incompatible? Or if you fall in love with someone else? Surely tha’ must happen!”

The Vulcan appeared uncomfortable answering this question though his face somehow remained neutral.

“Love is an emotion, and incompatibility is inconsequential. We are an emotionless society. Our matches are assigned for numerous logical reasons that vary according to the social, economic, political, and legal contexts. On the rare occasion that one of them does not want the other, it will be proclaimed at Koon-ut-kal-if-fee. Meaning marriage or challenge. In the distant past, Vulcans killed to win their mates and so the tradition carries on.”

Uhura gasped, placing a hand to her lips and Scotty leaned forward in disbelief, “Ya don’t mean! Surely ya don’t actually kill each other!”

“The tradition comes down from the time of the beginning, without change. This is our way. It is however very rare that one is rejected. The bonding process is ingrained in our society and that is why if the Temple of T’tel is real, it poses a threat to the balance of our world. Many might be tempted to break their predetermined bonds if the promise of a stronger bond mate was an option. This would upset multiple clans in the process and cause unrest. That is why this matter is being treated so confidentially.”

An uneasiness settled over the room as Jim and his team began to truly understand just how drastic the situation was. Jim found that he wanted to help. He was always compelled to do so when others were in danger or need. It was a part of him he could never truly explain, but it was what made him such a great captain. If it was within his power to do so, he reached out to those who asked for help and offered as much aid as possible. 

“How can we be of service?” He found himself stating seriously.

The professor glanced at him and nodded his approval at Jim’s declaration, “Staring out we have very little to go on. Each of your PADDs contains all of the information we currently have available. The scroll that hints at the temple’s believability was discovered in a vase at the excavation site in Yar-kur khaf kahr or The Green City. It appears to be a type of delivery ledger with a list of provinces within The Green City itself.”

He turned and clicked to the next slide to be projected.

“This is a translation of the scroll for you to look at while doing your research.”

**_Kuvak’s Record_ **  
**_Evoras 8 weeks of travel_ **  
**_Aravik 4 weeks of travel_ **  
**_T’Risa 1 week of travel_ **  
**_T’Ara 4 weeks of travel_ **  
**_Temple T’tel 8 weeks of travel_ **

“As you can see is the last delivery on the list is the Temple T’tel, but since we know the temple is not within the city it must be somewhere close by. The title Kuvaks record is listed at the top and so we know this list belonged to him. Kuvak, unfortunately, is a very common name from that time. Equivalent to the name John or Smith in your culture. There are several records from The Green City, but most have not been digitized. We will need to begin to search through those to see if we can find something similar with this Vulcans name on it. If he worked in deliveries perhaps we can find another list that might state where he was delivering from. If we can pinpoint that location then we know that the Temple of T’tel is eight weeks distance from that point. I have assigned each of your tasks that should help us begin, Mr. Scott your job will be to review maps of the excavation site of The Green City and to study the routes this man may have taken and the distance between these 4 other cities listed. That may help us narrow our search.”

“Aye, Sir. I will get to know those maps like the back of my hand. We'll locate that temple, lik' a lost wee lamb in the hills for sure. Don’t you worry.” Scotty nodded vigorously with valor. 

The professor tilted his head slightly as if trying to grasp the Scotsman’s colloquialisms, and then appeared to give up. He then turned to Uhura. “As for you, Miss Uhura, you will be transcribing several of the scrolls some of which are in the old language, but your record on file says you are proficient in that area. Look for the name Kuvak and lists like this one. Start with the digitized versions and then make your way into the older physical scrolls. I will also work on as many physical scrolls as possible to help with the workload.”

The professor paused in his speech, blinking slowly a few times as if another thought had come to his mind. “Despite the potential unrest, it might cause our world, finding this temple would be a rather remarkable one that might open doors to lost knowledge of pre-Suraking times. It would be rather fascinating.”

Jim had to hold back a smile. Something told him that the last remark was from the viewpoint of a hopeful scholar who loved learning new things. He moved and talked like a typical Vulcan, but with air that endeared Jim and like his photograph on file, something about that charmed him completely.

The professor began to hand out the piles of clothes to each of them. “I ask that you wear these clothes that will mark you as students rather than Starfleet officers,” he continued, “it will draw less attention to yourselves because you will be regarded as some of the humans who choose to study here. Miss Uhura, I’m sure you are quite familiar with these, as your file says you have studied here previously.”

Jim watched Uhura smile as she held up the slim robe inspecting it. “Yes, quite familiar. I still have a few robes back in my cabin on the ship.”

Jim looked down at his robes and underclothes sitting in front of him on the table. They were the same dark brown with maroon colored sashes as Uhuras and Scottys and came with a long-sleeved undergarment that hid the neckline like a turtle neck sweater. Golden Vulcan script was sewn onto the outer shoulder and the sleeves of the exterior robe fanned open dropping down to the waistline. He was a little worried about wearing layers like these on such a hot planet but Uhura caught his eye. “They’re much cooler than they seem,” she whispered, guessing his thoughts.

The professor then handed them each a necklace, the end of which had a small pendant in the shape of a branch with myrtle green leaves. “This pendant has activation codes programmed in them, they will act as a master pass key to every room and department you might need access to within the library. Do not lose them. Wear them around your neck constantly, and if for whatever reason you are stopped and questioned about your presence in a certain area, show them the pendant. It means you are working on the Vulcan High Council’s behalf and you will be left alone.”

Jim watched the professor put on his own pendant as if to demonstrate how they should be worn. The little branch pendant hung midway down his chest and shone beautifully against his pitch-black robes.

“I have acquired offices down here on this level of the library so that you may work in secret. Your pendant will be your key. No one else will have access to your office. You may beam up to your ship should you need to use your computers or if you need rest, but please report your findings, if any, at the end of each day.”

The professor closed his presentation and gathered his things together. “If you continue down this hall you will see your names on your assigned office doors, I have already prepped your rooms. You may begin your tasks now.”

They all got up from the table but Jim did so slightly confused. He had not received any tasks. Perhaps the Professor was going to wait to tell him.

As Uhura and Scotty left down the very dim hall to find their offices Jim came to stand next to the Vulcan.

“What will I be doing?” He asked.

The professor did not even glance his way. “As for you Mr. Kirk you can attend either Miss Uhura or Mr. Scott. I will leave that up to you. I do not need an assistant.”

Jim blinked in surprise, rearing slightly back as if he had been slapped. 

“What do you mean? That’s my assignment on this mission. Surely I can help with something you might need. Everyone needs an assistant now and again.” 

The Vulcan picked up his book bag that had been resting beside the table and tightened the sack strap on his shoulder. He then turned the lights off in the room preparing to leave, not making a single comment to Jim as he did so. It appeared this wasn’t up for discussion and the professor had all but written him off.

Just a few hours earlier Jim had hated the idea of being someone's lowly assistant, now he realized he truly wanted to help this cause.

Jim stepped forward almost blocking the exit, and movement caught the professor's attention. Dark brown eyes regarded him warily and checked him once over as if to check and see that Jim was not deaf in hearing the dismissal he had just been given.

“Mr. Kirk, I have always worked alone. Furthermore, I do not believe you are capable of keeping up with me. I read and translate data very quickly, having done this type of archival research before. It is my understanding according to your file that you do not even read or speak Vulcan, which will cause you to undoubtedly struggle and slow my process down. I do not require, nor want your help.” He stated dryly, turning away from Jim once again dismissing him.

“Wait! Please professor,” Jim cried as he reached out, catching the Vulcan’s wrist to prevent him from leaving. “I’m a Starship Captain for a reason. I’m intelligent, I’ve worked hard my entire career, and am a quick learner. If you're under the impression that I’m some sort of washed-up bureaucratic captain that never leaves his chair, it’s not true. I want to help you. I’m not sure why I was assigned to be your assistant but there must have been a logical purpose and I take that duty seriously, out of respect for you and this mission. So if it’s just to get you things from shelves or even going on a coffee run for the team, I am more than willing to do so.”

The Vulcan’s dark eyes widened the barest amount as if startled by his declaration. His eyes then dropped to where Jim had his hand on his wrist and Jim saw his error.

He let go immediately.

“Forgive me,” Jim blurted out, “I didn’t mean to touch you, I know that’s considered a taboo.” He could feel his skin heat with embarrassment and he folded his arms to prevent any further awkward movements on his part. He had never been so careless before. Everyone knew Vulcans did not like to be touched due to emotional transference; it was one of the first things taught about their species and he had just gotten done professing his intelligence.

There was a slight pause between them as the professor studied him carefully as if really seeing him for the first time. He seemed to be contemplating something, and Jim hoped it wasn’t a complete dismissal from the mission altogether.

Finally, when the professor spoke, it was a soft murmur “Forgiveness is unnecessary when no offense was intended.” He stared at Jim for a few more moments before nodding. “Very well, you are commendable in your commitment to duty, you may assist me.”

Jim was relieved to hear this and he couldn’t help but smile.

The professor's eyes widened even further as if in alarm, and he quickly turned away from him almost seeming flustered by Jim’s response. Jim dropped his smile and wondered if he had made another mistake. The Vulcan probably wasn't used to smiles having lived among the expressionless for most of his life, but before he could worry any further the Vulcan said, “Follow me.” and he led them out of the room.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're getting this chapter early because I can't release it on Saturday as I had planned.

Spock was forcing himself to walk in a calm and dignified manner, his sensitive hearing listening very closely to the human footfalls behind him.

However, If given the choice, he would have turned and fled. 

Though his demeanor gave nothing away, Spock was still reeling from the experience of the human's brief touch, and his heart fluttered uneasily in his side.

The moment Mr. Kirk’s hand had come into contact with his wrist, a burst of warmth had filled his mind, and it was like suddenly discovering light when all you had ever known was darkness. It frightened him, and like many who find themselves frightened by the unknown, it also called to him in a way he could not explain. Then, before either of them could prevent it, the Captain's emotions slipped past Spock’s mental shields with hardly any effort at all, beaming into his mind like sunlight through a glass window plane. 

This had never happened to him before.

Vulcans had an aversion to touch because of the vulnerability involved as a touch telepathic species. Even T’gal had recoiled from their brief brush of fingers yesterday, and Spock had been humiliated, to say the least. But the man’s warm grip had sent his emotions traveling up Spock's arm and it was like a shock of cold water to his system. He had felt the man’s upset with his dismissal, and the sincerity in his claim that he wanted to help. 

Spock should have recoiled in disgust like T’gal. He had never come into contact with such, unhindered or masked feelings unmarred by repression from Vulcan Society and It was thrilling-

He shuddered inwardly. 

Something had happened at that moment between them, something that was difficult to describe. His katra seemed to recognize this man’s touch, though he was positive they had never met before, and the instant Mr. Kirk realized his mistake in touching him, and let go, something unspoken remained.

Spock’s skin felt like it had somehow been burned, branded, imprinted on, causing the hairs on his body to rise as if reaching back out for the lost touch. The sensation of an almost presence in his mind rapidly receded but it left behind a hollow feeling of unmet desire.

The desire for what, Spock could not exactly pinpoint. 

In those few microseconds, as Spock tried to regain his composure, by commenting on the captain’s commitment to duty, scrambling for something to say. He was hardly ever at a loss for words and somehow he found himself numbly agreeing to allow the man to help him not knowing how else to respond. 

And then the Captain had smiled at him.

Spock had studied various types of stars when they went supernova, burning so bright that their dazzling display was hard to look upon for it hurt the naked eye. That’s what it had been like to be graced by this man’s smile. How could he have ever known, ever prepared himself for such an assault? His ID photo had shown him to be a serious human, and even when he had greeted him and his team at the beam down point his behavior had been nothing polite and professional.

He had not smiled like that. Smiled as if Spock had brought him the whole of the universe, and laid it as his feet.

What was he to do now? He had planned to simply reassign the human, but now he had an assistant following him like a Larpara bird following its mother.

Leading Mr.Kirk down the same hall he had directed the others, they passed the office rooms bearing the names he had reserved for this team. He had not expected to work very closely with any of them and so the office he had reserved for himself was located farthest down at the end of the hall in hopes that the distance would deter any unnecessary socializing that the humans might be tempted to display towards him. Now he would be stuck in an enclosed space with one. He hoped Mr. Kirk was not prone to idle chatter.

Approaching the silver office space he held out his pendant that activated the sliding door and then stepped aside gesturing for Mr. Kirk to enter. “This will be our shared office, as you can see I have already set it up for research purposes but I will need to acquire another chair for you. I will wait out here for you to change into your robes and then I will take you to the archives where we will begin our research.”

Mr. Kirk nodded and wandered in without any comment. The door then slid closed and Spock let out a slight sigh of relief.

After 5.3 minutes the human re-emerged from the room dressed in his assigned brown robes, his maroon sash crooked in its wrap around his waist. Spock could feel his lips purse in response. “Your sash should overlap in the front.”

Mr. Kirk looked down at himself. “Ah, okay. I thought I might have messed that part up. This is my first time in such clothing.” He began to fuss with the sash even more but he was only making it worse. Spock saw no other alternative than to step forward and help him straighten it.

Careful to avoid any skin contact again, Spock began to demonstrate the proper positioning of the sash of the robe. “Wrap this part so that it sits comfortably below your chest and fold this part in,” Spock directed. They were now much closer together than Spock wanted to be, yet he did not stop his actions. He folded the fabric for Mr.Kirk feeling the man’s body heat through the fabric. He could hear the human’s breath hitch and his heart pick up speed. Not wanting to make him any more uncomfortable Spock backed away.

“Thank you, professor.” Mr. Kirk said humbly, smoothing the fabric over with his hands.

“Spock, please. Just call me Spock.”

“Well then Mr. Spock, it’s only fair that you call me Jim. Shall we get going?” He gestured for Spock to lead the way and Spock braced himself for another one of the humans' smiles but it never came. Was he disappointed? The last smile the man had graced him with, had felt like an assault to his senses.

But Mr. Kirk- Jim, simply looked at him, waiting.

He nodded and began to lead them back up the hallway they had come down. 

A smile from this man should not bother him. Humans smiled with so little provocation, and many humans who came to Vulcan to study among his people had shown him a smile or two in the past, so why then did this particular human smile do something to him? If there was something unique about his smile, Spock concluded that he would not have to wait very long. Jim was human. He would smile again at some point and when that happened Spock would be able to see if he would have another reaction to it.

————————

Jim was almost positive he and Spock had gotten off on the wrong foot. 

He should have never grabbed the Vulcan's wrist or shown him a reckless human smile. He was supposed to be a representative of the federation's _best_ and so far he had done a lousy job.

Nevertheless, he was determined to prove that he was worth his salt and strove for perfection in everything the Vulcan asked him to do.

On their first day together Spock had taken him to an archival level of the library that rivaled the length of the Enterprise. It was intimidating like everything else he had encountered on Vulcan so far and the Professor hadn’t been kidding when he had said Vulcans documented everything. The level was filled to the brim with rows and rows of shelves containing hundreds upon hundreds of manuscripts and scrolls. Jim had gone pale at the very thought of trying to go through it all but Spock had explained to him that almost all of those records were post Surakian times, and they would be going through pre-Surakian records. 

It seemed there was little to no knowledge before then. Turns out when you're constantly at war with each other, you don’t care to keep detailed records.

Thankfully the limited documentation that they would be looking through for their select mission was dedicated to a single room that branched off from the main level. It was dry, cool, and dimly lit with a soft gray-blue glow, reminding him of other labs he had been to. Optimal conditions for keeping fragile and ancient texts in pristine condition.

Spock had shone him how to dawn special protective gloves and handle the texts when taking them from their storage compartments. The Vulcan numerical system and tagging were a bit hard for him to understand but Spock was very patient with him and he picked it up quickly enough. 

The Vulcan was...demure in his actions. Not as proper and pompous as other Vulcans Jim had interacted with in the past. It was a refreshing surprise. He had known looking at the photo ID that Spock would somehow be different, but he still couldn’t figure out what it exactly was that made him stand out, but if he had to put money on it, he would bet that it was his lovely brown eyes. So human. So warm. So alluring. So very, very different from the other Vulcans he had encountered in the library.

Though Jim saw very few others due to the floor they were on working on but now and again he would spot a couple of Vulcans perusing amongst the isles of the archives. They avoided him and Spock at all costs and even went as far as to move to the other side of the room when they passed by. Jim thought it was his human presence that was doing it until he noticed that it was Spock they were avoiding, not him.

They parted before him as the Red Sea parted for Moses, and Jim had been impressed. Who was this Vulcan professor who held such high esteem and respect over others? Was he perhaps more important than his file lead on?

Whatever the case, they were left alone and worked through the day with no breaks, which was fine with Jim. If the Vulcan didn’t need a lunch or dinner break then neither did he. He would prove he could work just as hard as a Vulcan even if he was an assistant. Even if his stomach hated him.

They gathered many scrolls together to take back to their shared office and by the time they were done Uhura and Scotty met him in the hallway ready to beam back to the ship.

He and Spock parted with very few words and Jim wondered if this was a prelude to the whole mission. 

He hoped not, but the following three days were much the same, and what was worse in Jim’s opinion was that after the first day of working together the Vulcan now seemed to actively avoid being in the same room with him. 

Spock had Jim constantly gathering and returning scrolls to and from the archives which left the professor to be alone in the office space to work. At first, Jim had tried to convince himself that Spock was just a hard worker and that his work ethic was driven by the importance of this mission, but after that first day, something in his gut was telling him that Spock was avoiding his presence by keeping him so busy. 

He would report to the office room the following mornings only to be given a list of scrolls to return to the archives and a separate list of scrolls to be gathered once he was done. The lists would take him all day and by the time he was done running around it was time to beam back up to the ship.

He never made it past the office door. 

Jim didn’t know what else he could have done wrong to be treated in such a way and perhaps it was just because he was human and the Vulcan didn’t want to work with him.

Whatever the case it frustrated him...and it was kind of disheartening as well, though he wasn’t sure why. He contemplated whether or not it was just his ego being bruised or something more. He strove for perfection in his given tasks and kept his face neutral to not startle Spock again with his emotive features, but the Vulcan almost seemed...afraid of him as bizarre as that might seem.

This should have irritated Jim to the point of anger, it was hard to work with someone who didn’t want to work with you in return, but for some reason, it didn’t. It only made him crave for the Vulcan's approval even more, despite the cold shoulder he was receiving.

Perhaps if they got to know each other better, he wondered if they could somehow be friends. 

He just didn’t know why, but the idea of Spock becoming his friend appealed to him greatly. It was like he was compelled to reach out and make some sort of connection. There was just something about Spock that seemed to want to pull him in. He was a mystery begging to be solved.

————-

Spock was on edge for multiple reasons but they all shared the same origin. Jim Kirk.

He had proven to be a hard worker and a silent one at that. Spock should have been grateful, that was what he had wanted correct? 

Jim had also not smiled again and Spock was both relieved and illogically disappointed. For the past few days he had hoped the memory of Jim’s smile would diminish from his mind, yet his eidetic memory would not allow it. He was torn back and forth between wanting to see the man’s smile to compare it to his first experience, and never wanting to be subjected to such a blinding wonder again.

The fact that he could not make up his mind disturbed him deeply, and meditation had done little to help. 

What was more disturbing to Spock, however, was that the man had shown up in his dreams. Ever since their first day together, Spock's dreams had been abstract in a way that he had never experienced before. 

Something would call to him throughout his home and no matter how hard he searched he could not locate the summons. Eventually, he would wander into his backyard hoping that whatever was calling him would appear. He would then notice a figure moving about in his mother’s greenhouse garden. He somehow knew instantly that it was the Starship Captain and he would refuse to approach. He did not want to see his blindingly bright smile, nor the soft curves to his cheeks, and his reluctance caused the unknown summons to double down upon him. He was drawn forward against his will by an unseen force, and dug his heels into the ground, fighting against the pull, and just as he would be about to reach the entrance to the greenhouse, he would startle awake.

Spock hardly ever dreamed and so the fact that he had experienced one with this Starship Captain was unnerving. He was left unsettled and began to regret accepting the human’s assistance.

He had only been working with Jim Kirk for three days, but every night when he retired his dreams drew him to the greenhouse garden knowing that the captain inside waited for him. These dreams brought him only confusion. Why did his mind seem to think that this man was so important? Had it been the touch they had shared? The unabashed smile coupled with his clean emotions?

Or perhaps was he still suspicious of his presence on this mission. 

Whatever the cause, Spock was even warier about working in the same space as Jim, and as a result, he had been doing everything possible to avoid it. 

Today however the human was proving to be too good of an assistant. 

Jim had beamed down to the surface earlier than expected and compiled three days’ worth of scrolls to go through before Spock had arrived. Jim had figured out the pattern Spock had been using to search through the archives and implemented the pattern to perfection. Spock was dismayed at the human’s efficiency as this now left no excuse to keep them separated.

Resigned to the situation, Spock acknowledged Jim’s work with a simple nod and asked him to sit across the wide desk table set up in the center of the office. He was not sure how the human would fare at going through the records but he had nothing more for Jim to do. He gave Jim a PADD with Vulcan phrases and symbols and told him to examine each scroll carefully and that if he came across any of the aforementioned key words he was to alert Spock immediately.

Jim had nodded, his face reflecting the seriousness of his task, and got promptly to work

Spock took his seat but it was a few minutes before he could truly get to work. Not many ever sat this close to him even if it was just across a table. He found himself constantly stopping and listening to the steady soft breaths and movements of the human, which only seemed to be accentuated by the quiet office space.

Spock stole a glance at Jim who was intensely focused on the scroll before him. He was just a simple man and nothing to be wary of. Spock did not understand his fascination. 

Jim’s profile was strong, but his forehead, nose, and chin rounded at their points. His features were symmetrical, pleasing to the eye, and his lashes, like the rest of his hair, had glimpses of gold strands in the darker brown parts. He was a handsome human.

Spock refocused his attention back to the scroll in front of him but the words that were written there did not have his full attention. He was displeased with himself. Why did any of this matter to him? To be affected by this human did not make sense. He would blame the touch they had shared, but others had briefly touched him before and he had never been bothered like this.

Perhaps it had been Jim’s emotions that had fed so easily into his mind. They had met no resistance from Spock’s mental barriers and had slipped in as if they were his very own. 

Spock wondered what kind of mind might cause such unfiltered emotions to propagate. Surely a kind with no mental discipline. It would be a fascinating study.

Spock suddenly felt the tips of his fingers tingle and he flexed his hands to examine the strange sensation, but it dissipated. Odd. It must be the temperature in the room, though it was comfortably heated. He kept it that way because the level of the library they were currently on tended to get cold. Spock recalled his mother visiting him here when he had done a personal study and she had said it was a nice reprieve from the heat because she liked the cooler air.

With that in mind, Spock looked back at Jim and realized that he had a sheen of sweat on his brow with droplets trailing down his hairline and neck into the collar of his robe. The room was clearly too hot for him and so Spock immediately stood and went to the wall where the temperature controls were located.

He could regulate his body temperature if needed. Jim could not. 

Jim watched him obviously curious as he came to sit back down at the desk and after a few moments the air turned on and he realized that Spock had changed the temperature for him. 

Hazel eyes locked with his, “Thank you.” he said sincerely.

Spock nodded and then waited, but Jim’s face remained neutral. No smile appeared, and he resumed studying the scroll in his hand. 

Knowing Jim was situated comfortably finally seemed to relax Spock and he turned his attention back to his own scroll. He had thought Jim’s presence would be a further irritant to him but instead, his company became almost soothing in a way Spock could not explain. He thought about how illogical that was, he should have been put further on edge, after all, Jim had been the one disturbing his dreams, but perhaps those dreams were just a way for his psyche to explore his curiosity about Jim. After approximately nine hours spent in silence together, Spock was in the middle of translating a sentence when he heard the man’s stomach suddenly make a peculiar noise. He turned to regard Jim, who was flushing pink making his tanned cheeks darker. 

“Um, sorry, I’m a bit hungry.” He admitted, embarrassed.

Spock then realized that the human needed to eat. He had forgotten that humans ate frequently and on a schedule. Jim had not said a word to him about needing a food break for the past few days. With him working in the archives and Spock remaining in the office, Jim had probably skipped meals to be as efficient for him as possible. Spock felt a bit of shame tighten his chest. T’pau had thought him working with the humans had been a logical idea, but clearly, Spock was just as ignorant as any typical Vulcan would be to their needs. The other team members probably took breaks as they needed and in his effort to keep Jim and him separated he had overworked the human to keep him busy. Jim had stayed true to his tasks to achieve everything Spock had asked of him, disregarding his personal needs to do so. He had not meant to cause Jim discomfort, and the idea of him not taking care of his needs bothered Spock illogically.

“I regret that I have forgotten that humans eat more frequently than Vulcans. You may be excused to have a mid-day meal.”

Jim’s eyes showed the barest amounts of relief at being given a break but his face remained controlled. He got up and made his way to the door before stopping and turning back around.

“Spock, would you like to come with me? We could beam up to the Enterprise together and have lunch there. Our galley has a variety of different foods from all over the galaxy, I’m sure some of them are Vulcan. We could eat and then I could show you around the ship. It could give us a chance to get to know each other better.”

Spock pondered the request. He had never been on a Starship before and the idea intrigued him very much, but despite his curiosities, he was uncertain at doing so next to this particular human.

“No. I am more comfortable here.” He said turning away trying to make himself appear busy.

“Oh. Um okay.” Jim paused and there was a heavy silence in the room. 

Spock expected Jim to leave but instead, he stepped back towards the desk. “If you’d like we could go and have lunch somewhere around here together.” he suggested, “I’m sure you have a secret restaurant you enjoy frequenting. It’ll be my treat.”

Spock glanced back at Jim out of the corner of his eyes and saw the human wringing his fingers together as if out of nervousness.

“It is not necessary for us to know each other to work together.”

“I disagree. Humans like to know who they are working with, it makes for a better team. I’m sure you’re just as curious about me as I am about you.”

Spock felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise and he lifted a single eyebrow. Jim was curious about him? 

There was not much to be curious about in regards to himself, nevertheless, he felt his resolve waver. Spock was indeed curious about Jim and though he was loath to admit it, he wanted to know more about the man who seemed to be haunting his dreams. This could be a good opportunity at discovering why.

Spock stood up. “Very well. I know a place close by where we can eat.”

Jim’s lips twitched as if he was beginning to suppress the smallest of smiles and Spock's eyes lingered on his mouth briefly in anticipation, but when no further expression came he forced himself to walk forward leading the way for them to have lunch.

They left the library and walked a short distance to the northeast center shopping district. It was an area that was settled in between the City’s Library and the Vulcan Science Academy and was popular for students and visitors alike. It offered shopping, dining, and entertainment, as well as office and residential space, with individual storefronts evoking a sort of smaller urban feel. Amid the retail space, there were grassy areas cultivated with fountains and park benches just right for relaxing, and wide sidewalks meant for strolling.

Spock had often come here as a student because it offered several dining options and even included human meals for the humans that chose to study on Vulcan. One such institution was the Red Grove. Like its name, the small eatery was bright red with large storefront windows that looked out onto the street, bringing in natural light to display the deeper red interior. The door swished open and cold air greeted them as they walked in. Spock heard a sigh of relief come from Jim who no doubt was suffering from overheating again from their brief walk. The heat could be a bit of an adjustment for some humans but they almost always adapted to the heat in a few weeks.

He watched as Jim looked around. “Is there no hostess?”

“This is a self serve restaurant. You sit at any table you wish and you order your food from there. Each table has a food replicator and recycler along the walls.” 

Spock led them past a few full tables to a booth that sat along the back wall, their digital menus activating on the tabletop once seated.

“There is an extensive human menu offered here,” Spock commented, skimming down the Vulcan options though he did not need to, he ordered t'mirak rice and nesh-kur tea every time he visited. He typed in his order and waited for Jim to do the same. 

“Will it bother you if I order meat?”

“Your dietary concerns are not mine to comment on.”

Jim nodded and then selected a dish. They waited until the replicator units on the wall beeped and then trays came sliding out presenting their food. Jim had ordered some sort of breaded meat strips along with a small pile of fried potatoes sprinkled with salt and a large glass of water. After his heat exposure, he took a long drink of water first before he began to talk.

“So Mr. Spock, tell me about yourself.”

Spock stared for a moment at Jim’s food. Was he not going to eat? His body had displayed the proper hunger cues, but he made no movement towards his dish.

“There is very little to tell.”

“Oh, I don’t believe that for a second. Tell me about your friends, family, hobbies, anything will do, I’m a human we are curious creatures.”

Again he did not move his food. 

“Vulcans do not believe in the concept of friends. I reside with my mother and father, and I do not believe I have any hobbies worth mentioning.”

Spock wondered if Jim was waiting for him to begin eating his own dish out of some sort of courtesy, so he picked up the silverware offered in a small basket on the edge of the table and began to slowly eat.

“Is stonewalling information a hobby of yours? Or is it just me?” Jim asked with a sly raise of his brow.

“It is just you,” Spock responded.

Jim blinked in surprise at the quip and then threw his head back and laughed. 

Spock nearly dropped his utensil as he was stunned into stillness. He gazed at the man who was suddenly beaming brightly in contrast to the rest of the room. His outburst of delight was blinding, the flash of white teeth and golden crinkled eyes conveyed all of the delights he was experiencing at Spock's undignified response. 

So the first smile he had been witness to was not a fluke. It was still hard to look upon and he felt like the joyful expression was again some sort of assault to his senses, but there was an added warmth this time. It filled his body with pleasantness he could not explain.

Jim’s laugh stopped a few nearby conversations and the room quieted as Vulcans turned from their tables to see who was making noise. Jim suddenly became aware of how loud his laugh had been and he sobered very quickly. “Sorry, I’ve been trying to keep my human tendencies at a minimum. I thought I had been doing a great job these past few days.” He murmured embarrassed glancing around before returning his attention to Spock.

Spock felt the edges of his lips dip into a frown. “Are you saying that you have been hiding your emotions so as not to draw attention to yourself?”

“Yeah. I figured when in Rome, do as the Romans do. I know you’re an emotionless society and so I’m trying not to... offend anyone.” Jim said this last part as if implying that he did not want to offend Spock specifically.

Spock opened his mouth to respond and then closed it. It was logical on Jim’s part to behave in such a way, but Spock found he did not want the human to repress his emotions, especially around him. It was almost unnatural in a way.

“You need not bother about what others think. You are not the first human among Vulcans and you will not be the last.” Spock pushed the rice around his plate but did not take a bite. 

Jim smiled, “I’m glad to hear you say that, I was beginning to wonder if all that work you gave me was some sort of revenge for something I’d done.” This comment was said lighthearted but Spock felt himself slightly blush. So Jim had picked up on his actions to keep them separated.

“If you want I can tell you about myself first if that will help get our conversation going.”

“If you wish, but do not forget the main reason we came. Eat.”

Jim reached for utensils from the basket and cut into his breaded chicken. He was about to take a bite when there was a sudden commotion at the entrance of the restaurant. 

Both he and Jim looked up in time to see Mr. Scott who was in his assigned student robes come towards them with two Starfleet crewmen dressed in red at his heels. The Starfleet officers stood out obscenely in the restaurant, drawing the attention of a few Vulcans at a nearby table, which Spock recognized as three of his students from his astrological physics class. His students followed the newcomers with their eyes, right up to Spock and Jim’s table. 

“Mr. Scott? What-“ Jim questioned before he was pushed deeper into the booth to make room for Mr. Scott and one other crewman. The other Starfleet officer slipped in next to Spock pushing him closer to the wall as well and while the booth was large enough to support five people it did not do so comfortably. Spock glanced back at his student’s table, but they had gotten up to take their leave. It was unquestionable that he had been seen surrounded by humans, and would undoubtedly get back to professor Stonn.

“What are you guys doing here?” Jim whispered harshly, “we are supposed to be keeping a low profile, you just can’t show up in your Starfleet uniforms.”

“I’m sorry Sir,” Mr. Scott whispered back. “I tried to contact you through your communicator but you were’ no answering. Mr. Pharrell and Mr. O'riley came and found me saying that Captain Green is messin’ around with the Enterprises engineering department.”

“I turned my communicator down so I could have a peaceful meal with Mr. Spock. We’re on assignment Mr. Scott, what Captain Green does while he’s in charge is his business, I don’t have the control you think I might have.”

“But Sir!” the young man seated next to Spock cried as reached across the table and stole some of Jim’s fried potatoes off his plate. “Captain Green has been giving us nonstop simulated war attacks to practice with and since our efficiency is only at 85% he’s blaming the engineering section for slow response times. He’s currently not allowing anyone to take breaks or go off shift!” He pouted dismayed as he munched on Jim’s food. “I’m exhausted, I don’t know how much longer I can last...”

“Mr. O’riley real war doesn’t allow for breaks either,” Jim responded in a serious tone. “If Captain Green thinks he can sharpen our crew’s combat skills I’m in favor of that.”

The crewman seated on the outside of Mr. Scott grabbed a few fried potatoes off of Jim’s plate as well, this time with a piece of breaded chicken and Spock frowned at the action. “Captain Kirk I understand wanting to sharpen the crew’s skills but we can only last for so long, you haven’t seen how rough the simulated attacks are because you’ve been busy down here.” He said as he chewed the morsels of food he had grabbed. “Just please, all we’re asking is to have a word with Green, get him to ease up a bit.”

“Mr. Pharrell-'' Jim began but Mr. Scott interrupted him. “Jim there’s no’ much I can do to help these lads because I’m on assignment too, otherwise I’d have a few choice words fer this Capn’ Green. You’re the only voice Green will hav’ta listen to right now. There’s no point in exhausting the crew like this, especially my engineering department.”

Jim gave a heavy sigh. “Fine. I will talk with him this evening, now will you all please leave?”

Mr. Scott smiled, grabbing a full breaded chicken strip from Jim’s dish, and winked at Jim before taking a bite. “Aye, Jim. I knew we could count on you! You see lads, what I tell ya?”

Jim rubbed his eyes in frustration “Yes now please get up, you’re no doubt causing trouble for Mr. Spock.” He made a shoo-ing motion with his hands and their booth became a bit more vacant.

Jim watched them leave and then turned his attention back to Spock. “Sorry, normally I have a first officer handling such matters, but with this assignment being so abrupt he’s on his honeymoon, and Captain Green who’s been placed temporarily in command probably hasn’t called an officer to serve as his second just yet.”

Jim’s stomach growled and he looked down at his almost empty plate in disbelief. They all had taken a bit of food from his dish, but Jim had hardly noticed.

Spock without comment retyped in Jim’s order and a second tray was served. 

“Honeymoon?” Spock had not heard that term before.

“Yeah. Vulcans don’t have Honeymoons? It’s what newly married couples do. They spend a few weeks away from everyone to be together.”

“Do they not plan on spending the rest of their lifetimes together?”

“Yeah but it’s kind of like a special vacation away from the stress of everyday life. No work, no family, just each other.”

“But as partners, they will have to face “everyday stress” together eventually. Why prolong the waiting process if they can face it together from the start?”

Jim took a bite of his food and smiled almost shyly. “That’s kind of sweet when you look at it like that, but no, humans just want time to...well just be together. When you were first married, or um I suppose mated in your case, didn’t you just want to spend time with your partner?”

Spock became uncomfortable at answering Jim’s question and he remained silent for a few moments. “I am not mated.” He finally said, picking up his tea for a drink.

Jim froze, his fork halfway to his mouth. “Oh,” he said awkwardly and finished his bite of food. “Did your spouse pass away?”

Despite Spock's reluctance to share his shortcomings, he answered Jim’s quarry. “I have never been bonded, therefore I have never been mated.”

Jim’s eyes widened, “but wait- how old are you? I thought when Vulcans hit puberty-“

Spock held up a hand to quickly stop him. “We do not speak of such things, especially in public.”

Jim swallowed. “Yes, of course.”

“You stated humans are curious creatures. Are they often so interested in knowing the intimate details about others' lives?”

Jim gave a small chuckle, “You have no idea.”

Spock nodded as he thought this over. He should have been keenly aware of this aspect of humans considering his mother also wanted to know intimate details about his life herself. Should he explain his position to Jim? This meal had been a way to try and know each other better and so naturally these questions would eventually come up, especially with their current line of research. 

“I am not bonded because very few were willing to bond their child’s mind with mine. My father tried his best to find me a mate and for a short time in my youth, a girl named T’pring was brought forward as a possible candidate, but no matter how many attempts were made to link our minds, a bond never solidified.”

He could see Jim struggling to come up with a response to such a statement. “How are you not…”

“How am I not dead?” Spock finished for him. “Healers have stated my genetics may be the cause.”

He could see new questions forming in the hazel eyes across the table and Spock took a centering breath. He was not willing to share anymore, but he found himself continuing anyway as if his mouth had suddenly become an independent entity from his thoughts. “My father hails from Vulcan, but my mother is from your Earth.”

He was expecting the customary disgust that he had been subjected to his entire life when explaining his half-breed status, but instead, Jim stared at him as if he had just shared the secret of the universe. 

“You’re a miracle.” Jim said in awe, “I never knew Vulcan genetics could be compatible with a human.”

Spock was uncertain how to respond to such a statement. He certainly was not a miracle, science had procured his birth. “They are not compatible. My birth was manufactured.”

“So that explains your eyes.” 

Spock's heart fell. Yes, his all too human eyes had been a source of torment his whole life. “I’ve been told as much.”

“I knew you were different from your ID picture, I just couldn’t pinpoint why. It’s your eyes, they make you so much more relatable.”

“More relatable?” Spock questioned with a raise of a brow.

“Yeah.” 

Jim did not elaborate but instead smiled at Spock with some sort of unexplained fondness. Now that Spock had inadvertently permitted him to smile, Jim’s never left his face.

Spock finished his tea as he pondered the direction their conversation had taken. Jim now knew quite a bit of information pertaining to himself, but he did not know the human.

“Perhaps we should speak about you.” He said trying to redirect their discussion away from him as his shortcomings.

Jim ran a hand through his hair and blew out a breath “Okay. What do you want to know?”

“Share whatever you feel is relevant information in getting to know one another,” Spock suggested, “but please finish eating your food while you do so.” He did not like the idea of Jim not eating.

Jim happily ate and talked to Spock like they were familiar with each other past the realm of just work associates. He told Spock how he grew up on a farm in Iowa, and that he had an older brother named Sam. His father was his inspiration in joining Starfleet and he was determined to be the youngest Captain in history, which he eventually achieved. His favorite Nebula was the Horsehead Nebula because when he was a child he thought that’s where horses went when they died. He was unmarried and had no offspring but he had a nephew who did not like sweets. Spock was uncertain how to catalog such information, but he enjoyed listening to Jim who became animated in his movements when talking. His smile had become easier to look upon and Spock approved greatly of its seemingly never-ending presence. It warmed his body and made his flesh tingle in a way that was alien to him, yet he did not dislike the sensations.

Before long Spock's internal clock had told them they had been at the restaurant for 4 hours and he suggested they take their leave. With the day mostly over they agreed to end their workday altogether and Spock offered to walk Jim back to the beam up point. 

Spock had never held a conversation with anyone this long and he was surprised at how he felt afterward. The idea of someone knowing so much about him should have been abhorrent, but after spending the afternoon with Jim he had an odd desire to share more. 

They had reached the beam up point and Jim had thanked him for the meal. He stated he was excited to see Spock tomorrow and Spock found himself internally agreeing. The meal to get to know each other was successful in the way that it had cleared some of Spock’s misgivings, though not all of them. He still did not know the truth behind Jim’s assignment to be his assistant. The man did not seem nefarious, but humans could be tricky.

Nevertheless, Spock felt his cheeks grow heated as Jim gave him one last smile before de-materializing back up to his ship.


	5. Chapter 5

Jim walked down the corridor of the Enterprise with a lighter bounce to his step. His meal with professor Spock had gone better than he had imagined and he now hoped that they had some better understanding of each other.

Spock was such an interesting man. Not only did he seem kinder than other Vulcans he was a scientific wonder. The idea that his mother had willingly married a Vulcan was absolutely mind-boggling to Jim. Humans and Vulcans were like oil and water, to say the least but the fact that it had actually happened held promise for a future friendship between them.

Jim rounded the corner and ran into ensign Wells. 

“Evening Sir,” she said a bit groggily to him as she passed, but Jim stopped her and stared. 

“Ensign Wells?”

She looked up at him in confusion. “Yes?”

“You’re not assigned to gamma shift hours, what are you doing in your engineer’s uniform?”

She blinked in surprise, her dark lashes smudged with old makeup making the circles under her eyes more pronounced, “I was moved to gamma shift to help with the War simulations. We’ve had a few crewmen out of service due to fatigue. I need to get to my workstation or I’ll be late. If you’ll excuse me.”

Jim nodded and watched her leave. Right. He needed to talk to Green. Suddenly his mood was dour.

Instead of heading to his quarters, he found himself making his way to the Enterprise’s ready room. Technically his ready room but Captain Green was using it for now. He passed several other crew members who looked as worn as ensign wells, and his mood continued to darken.

When he found Green, the man was hunched over the Captain’s desk deeply involved in whatever he was reading on a PADD.

“Captain Green, may I have a word with you?”

“Ah! Kirk, Yes, yes, What can I do for you?”

Captain Green was a tall, serious man whose face greatly reflected the amount of stress he earned each year of service in Starfleet. His eyelids drooped downward reminding Jim of an old basset hound his father had once had to help guard the chickens on their farm, and although his features seemed worn by time, his deep blue eyes were just as sharp as any youth just entering the service. 

He was not an unkind commander, but the militant tactics that had helped him rise through the ranks had given him a reputation to be feared as one of the most celebrated and controversial figures in captaincy. He was known for his chaotic strategies and destruction of almost every vessel he commanded, but he was also known for winning.

“I know you are busy so I will make this conference quick. Some of my crew have approached me to speak on their behalf about the war simulations you have been testing them with, and while I agree that a Starfleet crew should be fully prepared for anything and everything, I’m not sure you should be pushing them this hard.”

“I see,” Captain Green stood from the desk and placed his hands behind his back, and began to slowly pace. “Kirk, you are a young and inexperienced Captain and so I can understand why you might share your crew’s plight, after all, it was only a few years ago that you were the crew yourself. But when I came aboard a few days ago I saw areas in which your crew could be doing better and devised a plan to help better shape your Enterprise company. You don’t know of the many dangers that lie in wait in the darkness of space. I was under the impression I was helping cultivate a more prepared crew to face such dangers.” He paused in his pacing to put a hand on the wall, stoking it in admiration. “This ship is magnificent, much better than some of the other ships I’ve commanded. It has great firepower. Great potential. Just like you Kirk. You have obviously earned your place amongst captaincy, but perhaps Starfleet was a bit rash giving you command to such a ship. Not unlike a mother giving a gift to the favorite child. Nevertheless, you have her, and I am only here temporarily. If you truly believe I am pushing your crew too hard I will, of course, ease up out of respect for you and the ship your serve.” He turned back to Jim expectantly. 

Jim thought carefully about how to respond. It would make him seem brash and ignorant if he denied Captain Greens’ experience and expertise in helping to cultivate his crew to a higher caliber, but he also wanted to defend his crew’s needs for their right to rest. He was not blind to the fact that Starfleet viewed him as somewhat of a golden child prodigy but he had worked hard for such a title. Many older captains only saw the success of his ascent and not the many sacrifices he had to make along the way.

“I agree that any crew, whether that be mine or other ships, could always improve upon their performance. We are indeed lucky to have your experience at our disposal, but I also believe you might be driving the crew too hard.”

Green nodded, “I will then of course pull back on the war simulations.”

“Thank you, I’m sure the crew will appreciate it.”

“Of course. Now let’s speak of more lighthearted things. How is your assignment going down on Vulcan?”

“Good.” 

“I’m glad to hear it. I know you are not at liberty to discuss this assignment in detail but do you have an estimated time of how much longer this might be?”

Jim folded his arms and shook his head. “Uncertain.”

Green pinched his lips together in thought and scratched his chin, “You must be ready to pull your hair out working alongside the Vulcans, I know I was when I served a mission or two with them in the past. It wasn’t easy. I used to dread the hours I spent with them, but I respect their dedication and professionalism in which they commit themselves to.”

Jim thought of Spock, and for some reason, a small smile wanted to tug at his lips “They are unique.”

Green hummed not commenting.

“If you’ll excuse me, I think I will head back to my cabin to freshen up and get ready for tomorrow.” 

Green waved him away and Jim went back to his cabin. He undressed and placed his Vulcan robes in a cleanser unit so that they would be fresh in the morning, and stepped into his sonic shower. He let the sonic pulse vibrations roll over his skin removing the dried sweat and grime of the day hoping he would get used to the heat soon. Otherwise, he’d be dropping ten pounds every time he beamed down to the surface from the amount of sweat he was producing. He rubbed his arms to flex his muscles and felt the sore spot from the daily hypos Bones had been giving him for easier breathing. He wondered if Spock’s biology was akin to his in a way. Did his human genes make it hard for him to breathe as well? or was he just Vulcan enough to tolerate such things?

Jim looked down at his own body. Vulcans were humanoids, they had the same basic structure as humans with differing features and when standing next to one, their species could have been comparable as being distantly related. But the more Jim thought on this, the more that statement wasn’t true. Their blood was green, copper-based hemocyanin, their insides completely different from a human's, their heart being right around where a human's liver would be. Not to mention their species being heavily reliant on telepathy. Spock was a wonder of nature. How was it that Spock’s mother found herself married to one? Could Vulcans share the same intimacies with humans? The same pleasures?

Jim’s skin began to heat and it wasn’t the temperature of the sonic shower doing it. He shouldn't even be thinking of such things in the shower. He shut off his unit and climbed out to get ready for bed. He put on a black shirt and simple gray sweatpants, something he didn't often get to do when he was acting captain. He seemed to always be dressed in his uniform just in case he was called to duty at a moment’s notice, but this assignment had allowed him to have such simple luxuries as sleepwear.

He laid in bed and dimmed his lights waiting for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He was rather tired but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to sleep. His dreams of late had been rather odd, though he couldn’t remember them clearly. All of that orange and red scenery on Vulcan must have had him yearning for the greenery of Earth because all he could recall was being surrounded by plants, maybe even roses. His mother had never been fond of roses, she thought their spiked stems not worth their beauty and preferred sunflowers around their house. Jim loved his mother but he disagreed with her stance on roses. They were an enchanting flower, and Jim was no novice to hard work in obtaining something so wonderful. If you just made it past the thorns, roses had the sweetest of smells and the softest of petals. 

Jim’s eyes slid closed and soon he was once again dreaming of plants.

He sat on a white bench surveying the odd leaves around him. It was so peaceful. The atmosphere was not too hot and he enjoyed the smell of overturned soil and the damp foliage in the air. He did not recognize many of the plants and chalked them up to be weird creations of his imaginings. He felt like Alice in wonderland among all of the strange otherworldly flora but there was one particular plant that he did recognize. Lovely red roses. Though unlike wonderland, these were already red and didn't need to be painted. They were big and bright and would have pleased any Queen. Now all he needed a white rabbit with a pocket watch to make his fairytale complete.

He heard a sound far in front of him and he watched the plants move. Jim inched forward on the bench excited that his dream might have conjured such a creature. 

Instead, Spock stepped from the greenery, hesitant and careful.

“You’re not a rabbit,” he said in surprise and then laughed to himself, “Though I suppose the pointed ears are very similar.”

Spock eyed him carefully and Jim wondered if the Vulcans nose would twitch or if he would grow whiskers. Spock certainly acted as timid and wary as a rabbit would be in the presence of a human and made no other movement towards Jim.

They stared at one another for a very long time before Jim broke the silence. “Come sit next to me.” He invited, patting the space on the bench beside him. He hoped Spock would join him, but the Vulcan just continued to stare.

“Or I could come to you.” It almost felt like he had been pulled to his feet as Jim stood and closed the distance between them in just a few short strides. He reached out to pat Spock on the shoulder as he would when greeting any of his other friends but he stopped himself when he saw Spock’s eyes widen in alarm.

“Sorry, I almost forgot. Don’t touch the Vulcan.” He reminded himself. “This is a very strange dream, I wonder why you’re here. I guess you’re just an enigma my brain can’t comprehend.”

Spock just stared at him.

“Cheshire cat got your tongue?” Jim shook his head, “No, I suppose you wouldn’t understand that reference.” 

Jim studied Spock in an openly curious manner, something he had only gotten to do with stolen glances while he was awake, but while in his dream he could look upon him unabashedly. His mind had recreated Spock perfectly and the Vulcans warm brown eyes stared back just as openly curious.

Time in a dream was a very strange thing, one moment he had been standing next to Spock and then the next his alarm was going off waking him up for the day. He was groggy as he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. What had he been dreaming about? Rabbits? Roses?

He suddenly remembered the warm brown eyes and he was a little more awake. Spock had been there. Spock had been in his dream.

How odd.

He got up stretching, feeling his joints crack, and got ready for the day. He had to admit he was looking forward to it.

————————————

Spock was drinking his morning tea and peering out his kitchen window. It gave him a clear view into the backyard, and greenhouse which he had not gone into since his strange dreams had begun. He knew however that though the greenhouse was self-sufficient he should check on the plants today before he left for the city. 

He heard his PADD ping within his bag by the door indicating that he had received a message, but he ignored it. Setting his cup into the recycler he put on his shoes and went outside. The sun was not fully in the sky yet and the overcast was a yellowish gray. He approached the greenhouse easily, feeling none of the insistent pull from his dreams, and stopped just a few feet from the entrance. No one was inside like his dreams and yet Spock was still uncertain if he should go in. He waited a few moments before typing in the code allowing the door to open to him. The quiet atmosphere calmed him as it always did as he stepped inside and he came to where the little white bench was located in the center of the garden. 

He had dreamed of this place last night. Dreamed that he had finally allowed himself to walk into the greenhouse, letting the pull bring him to the center. He found Jim sitting on the white bench, smiling at Spock's arrival as if his very presence had been a delightful surprise. Jim had commented that he had been expecting a rabbit to appear, which was a peculiar thing to comment, and then he had offered Spock a spot to sit beside him on the bench. Spock felt the familiar pull again but remained where he was. He did not want to go any more forward or go near the Captain because he was not sure of what would happen if he did.

But it appeared Jim had another plan when a few moments later he jumped up and walked towards him closing the distance. Spock had wanted to back quickly away, especially when he witnessed Jim raising his hand to touch him, but he was frozen in place. Jim however did not complete the touch and he even chastised himself saying out loud about “Don’t touch the Vulcan.” Jim had turned his head and glanced around commenting that he was having a very strange dream. Spock just stared at him and Jim in turn gave him a look that made his stomach flutter.

He then asked Spock if the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland had his tongue. Spock knew of the terrain literary reference but found it strange that he would dream of such things. Why would a fictional character have his appendage?

Well, he supposed the question should be, why was he dreaming of Jim at all? This was still the conundrum. 

Spock examined the plants surrounding him, seeing nothing that urgently required his attention this morning, so he turned and left. Perhaps now that he had satisfied whatever curiosity he had held concerning the man in his greenhouse, his nighttimes would resume to a dreamless state.

Spock walked back into his house and grabbed his bag to sling over his shoulder. He then reached inside and pulled out his PADD to see who had messaged him. 

**Uhura, Nyota:**

**Spock, I have found three listings for the name Kuvak that mentions deliveries. The information itself is not particularly connected, as the names are separated from the delivery lists themselves but it’s a start. The information was found in a digital record of a jewelers workshop named Kin-kur kov. The jeweler handed down the business documents to the apprentices and they should all be in the public records section of the Shi’Kahr library. If you would like I could pursue this lead or you could do so yourself, it doesn’t matter to me since I still have plenty of scrolls to go through in my office. I will await your reply.**

**-Uhura.**

Spock thought about this. While this was a small lead he should pursue it personally...and Jim could accompany him. The thought of spending the day with Jim as an assistant did not seem so troublesome anymore, and in fact, the idea pleased him very much though he did not understand his reasoning. 

He quickly responded to Uhuras’s message, notifying her that he would personally pursue the lead, and then sent a message to Jim letting him know to meet in the lobby of the library instead of their shared office. He tucked the PADD away back into his bag and headed out the door.

When he arrived he found Jim waiting for him in the lobby just as he requested. Jim’s arms were folded in a relaxed manner and he appeared to be causally watching the comings and goings of library patrons in a polite, but disinterested manner. It wasn’t until he spotted Spock walking towards him that a warm and inviting smile spread across his face. 

Spock forced himself to continue walking forward, despite the slight weakness that he felt in his knees. The human smile appeared to still be very potent to him, but he had faced such a smile just last night in his dreams and it had not killed him.

“Good Morning Spock.”

“Jim.” He greeted with a slight nod.

“So what’s up, why the sudden venue change?”

Spock began to walk again and Jim quickly fell into step next to him.

“Miss Uhura has found three mentions of Vulcans named Kuvak in an old jewelers business records. The business is called Kin-kur kov and incidentally is still around today. Their business records are digitized on the top floor of the library and so we will be checking the records ourselves to see where their shop was located in The Green City. If we can compare the businesses address it to our scroll of Kuvaks Record. If the distance between the jeweler's shop and the other delivery sites makes sense then we may have a strong lead.”

They made their way up to the top floor of the library which had several large and very busy office suites, all of which were lined with walls to the top of the ceilings inlaid with the latest technology. The business records center was located in a section on the far right and Spock found an empty computer station for them to sit at. It was not as private as Spock would have wished but there were hardly any patrons in that area. 

Jim moved his chair close so that they were inches apart in order for him to be able to look at the computer screen with Spock. 

Spock gave him a momentary glance before turning at attention back to the computer and entering the data into the search engine. The computer brought up the requested records and Spock examined the information.

“It says here that the jewelers business resided in Pla-kur mopakuv.”

Jim pulled out his PADD and pulled up a map of the Green City, “Pla-kurd mopahcoo?” He said pronouncing a few syllables wrong, “looks like that might have been in the southernmost part in The Green City, right on the border actually.” He handed the PADD over to Spock. Spock quickly calculated the distance it would take for Kuvak to make deliveries from that location to the first delivery site on the scroll, Evoras 8 weeks of travel.

“According to these schematics, Pla-kur mopakuv is only 2 weeks of travel from Evoras and so it could not be the correct location we are looking for,” Spock said closing the PADD and handing it back to Jim. He then cleared the search engine off of the library’s system and stood to leave.

“Well at least we can cross Placardmopavoo off the list of sites and so any future Kuvaks we discover from there we can ignore,” Jim said tucking the PADD under his arm. Spock felt humor brim in his eyes, Jim had mispronounced the name in a very endearing way.

“It is pronounced Pla-kur moe-pah-koo-v,” Spock explained gently.

"Pla-kur mopa..." Jim repeated struggling.

"Koo-v,” Spock finished for him.

Jim just smiled, “I fear my grip on your language may never improve.” He got up from his chair and pushed it back into place.

“I have no qualms in helping with your Vulcan pronunciation. You need just ask.”

Jim’s smile touched his eyes in a soft manner and little crinkles appeared at the corners. “Why, thank you Mr. Spock that is very kind of you.”

They stared at one another for a few moments before Spock experienced something he did not think possible outside of his dreams. There was a pull.

It came from the very core of him and he had the sudden desire to step closer to Jim. His fingers suddenly tingled and he flexed them slightly, but before he had a chance to examine this strange response, Jim’s attention was caught by something from behind him.

Spock turned to see what Jim was looking at and saw Professor Stonn heading towards them.

Spock straightened himself. He had known consequences from being seen yesterday with a group of humans  
would be coming, but he found himself shamed further knowing that it would now be in front of Jim.

“Spock.” Stonn greeted stopping in front of them.

“Stonn.”

“I see the information I heard about you working with humans is true,” He said nodding a greeting to Jim who came to stand next to Spock’s shoulder, “Though I should not be surprised,” Stonn continued, “it seems the Science Academy has finally put you in the correct position.”

Spock resisted the urge to sigh. “The assignment is temporary.”

“That is a shame. You would thrive among humans. Whatever you are helping them with I’m sure they are comforted to know that they have someone who shares a common standing with their intelligence.”

Spock felt Jim stiffen beside him. 

“Stonn, is there something you needed from me that could not have been stated in a digital format?”

Stonn slowly blinked “I was going over the curriculum you left for your class since I have stepped in for you, and I just wanted you to be informed that I will not be coving the Sloane Yildiz information. There is no reason, you should have a unit on her and it takes up an unnecessary portion of your lectures when the learning should be more focused on other astronomers and astronomical objects.”

Spock gave a dead stare. “Sloane Yildiz is a very important astronomer, but since my attention is elsewhere you may change the curriculum to suit what you believe is best for the students.”

“Wait a minute,” Jim interrupted verbally stepping in, “Sloane Yildiz? She’s very important, didn’t she discover the Dancing Butterflies Galaxies? Starfleet teaches a whole class on her discoveries as a required credit.”

Stonn’s sharp eyes found Jim, “Humans may praise her discoveries but she is a very minor astronomer in the eyes of Vulcan studies. There are more prevalent astronomers to discuss.”

“You mean Vulcan astronomers,” Jim responded in a hard manner.

“We are a Vulcan Acadamy,” Stonn stated matter of factly.

Spock watched Jim’s displeasure settle onto his face. “I see.”

The familiar prickle of annoyance Spock always associated when interacting with Stonn, suddenly twisted into a wave of unexpected anger at seeing Jim upset. 

Jim did not need to speak to Stonn if it was to upset him and so Spock cut in. “If you would excuse us Stonn, we have important matters to attend to.”

“Of course,” Stonn replied, stepping aside to let Spock and Jim pass.

They walked in sync down to the main library level before Jim made a comment, “I assume that he's not a fan of yours?”

“Stonn is another professor at the Vulcan Science Academy. When I was asked to do this mission, he was asked to oversee my astrological physics class until I was done. It is a coveted position, one that Stonn believes he can do better than I.”

“Is that why he insults your intelligence? By saying you share a common standing with humans on an intellectual level? Hey! Spock, don’t look away from me, I know Vulcans don’t think very highly of humans in the way of our intelligence.”

They came to the elevator that would take them to the archives below and filed in.

“It is not your intellect that many Vulcans question, but your illogical responses to discoveries. I believe you refer to this as “running before you can walk.” Spock said pressing the elevator’s buttons.

Jim hummed an unconvinced response and folded his arms across his chest quite indignantly. “So he's a bully.” He said, returning to the conversation back to Stonn.

Spock’s eyebrows flew up to his hairline. He had never heard anyone blatantly state Stonn as being a bully before. Though it was true, Spock did not respond.

“Has he given you trouble in the past?” Jim asked darkly, almost as if he knew the answer.

“Stonn believes it is his duty to remind me of my shortcomings. He does so frequently.”

Jim’s irritated expression dipped into a deep frown, “What shortcomings? From what I’ve seen, the Vulcans around here respect you!”

Spock turned to him confused, “Jim I am not sure what you have seen to give you that impression, but unfortunately due to the heritage I share with you humans, many do not respect me. I would say it is something more akin to indifference.”

The elevator doors opened to the dimly lit floor of the archives and Spock and Jim stepped out.

“Spock,” Jim said, stopping as soon as he got off the lift, his eyes became hard and resolute. “I respect you. I know we started out a bit rocky, but you have my utmost respect. As a Starship Captain, I’ve developed a sixth sense when it comes to spotting a good man, and you Spock, are definitely a good man.”

Spock regarded him speechless. Jim’s piercingly clear hazel eyes seemed to be staring directly into his very Katra and he knew that what Jim was claiming, he believed without a doubt to be true. 

“I find myself pleased that you consider me as such.” He finally responded softly, and it was illogically true. His cheeks slightly warmed at the thought of Jim thinking of him in this way and it made Spock feel special, which again was illogical, but he could not ignore the feeling completely. He would need to examine these things in his next meditation.

“Come on Spock, let’s go get to work.” Jim chuckled giving him an encouraging smile while walking past him to continue down the hall. 

Spock felt another pull and he was compelled to follow.


End file.
